


Fractures

by EmyBunny



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, In which Aloy deals with PTSD, Post-Canon, slow start, sorta love triangle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-05-04
Packaged: 2018-10-13 12:35:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 67,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10513878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmyBunny/pseuds/EmyBunny
Summary: After the battle with Hades, Aloy returned to the Sacred Lands. Two years pass in peace before a new Faro machine appears and attacks Aloy. While injured, Aloy is taken back to Meridian, where she begins to build new relationships before going on a search to find answers for the appearance of this new machine. But this time Aloy is not going in alone.





	1. Chapter 1

His voice still haunted her. The heavy static that filled her ears and made her Focus shock a small wave of electricity against her ear, as if he were trying to hack into the small device – to see into her most private recordings and thoughts. That voice, that presence, haunted her into the late hours of the evening, when she thought she could finally find peace in sleep. It was a useless endeavor and she was well aware of it. She tried to tell herself it was silly to hang onto such a fear; Hades was dead. She had killed him herself. Or shut him down? Was it _possible_ to kill a program? Though maybe he was a virus. She had heard about those while roaming through the old ruins, scanning digital text and audio logs that clued her into the old world. She had learned a lot about them within the past two years since the battle against Hades. 

Despite the constant nightmares, Aloy tried her best to push them aside during the day, determined to live her life as she would have wanted before the Proving. Everything had changed, though. The Nora were not her tribe, as much as they now claimed to be. The Anointed, they called her, even to this day. It ground onto her nerves and made her want to hide away in Rost’s and her old home, where she had found occasional solitude. But it just wasn’t the same without Rost there. It wasn’t home anymore. She would sit on the porch of the small hut, staring out at the stations where they smoked their meat, at the snow shoes sitting beside the steps, withering with age. She’d look around at the target dummies that were modeled after Lancehorns, with their many arrow holes and fading targets. 

She’d smile sometimes, remembering how Rost would crouch down beside her and help her situation her bow better or how to knock arrows on faster. You couldn’t hesitate in the face of an angry machine. 

She missed him. She missed being able to talk to him, even if she had avoided telling him about what her Focus would show her. Sometimes that made her upset, remembering how much she would pay attention to her Focus instead of him. Of course she hadn’t known that he would one day be gone from her life – like the flash of lightning that cracked across the sky during thick storms. 

Aloy beat herself up about it far too often, though she felt it deserved. No matter how much she spoke to his grave, where he had been given a proper burial by Matriarch Teersa, she would find herself feeling empty. His spirit had long since passed and she knew she was just talking to a pile of stone and incense. 

Sometimes it had her kneeling in front of his grave, her fingers sinking into her fiery locks of hair as she hunched over, tears pouring from her eyes as she hiccuped and sobbed, unable to form words. She wanted to tell him so much now that he was gone. 

She wanted to tell him how the sun made her think of him, how it reminded her of days running through the Embrace, hunting down boar and rabbits. She wanted to tell him how the storms of winter reminded her of their days spent huddled within their hut, the fire crackling as she laid out on her bed of furs, listening to him cook dinner as he hummed a little tune.  
But telling his grave did no use in relieving the ache in her chest. “I want you here,” she sobbed one day. “I want you here to tell me to keep fighting and keep being strong. You said I didn’t need anyone, but I needed you. I _still_ need you.” 

She didn’t cry often. It made her feel weak and she’d instantly feel ashamed for her outbreak. Even as a child she had often sucked in her tears, forcing herself to stay strong even when everything hurt. Yet there was nothing to fight for anymore. Her tribe? They needed her, but only for the occasional bellowback or sawtooth. The Nora were growing better at killing them, though Aloy would have preferred to just override the beasts and send them away. 

After the fight with Hades, Aloy had found little reason for violence within her life. The thought of killing anyone or any machine now caused her great anxiety, making her legs weak and her hands to shake.  
She’d berate herself for it, of course. She had gone through the entirety of her goal for revenge with little fear, yet now it seeped into her bones on odd occasions. It always took her by surprise, as if a machine had slammed into her back before she had expected it. It was in small hesitations, like readying herself to take down a boar, or sneaking past a particularly grumpy sawtooth. Moments where she’d freeze up, seeing past fights flash before her eyes. 

She knew it wasn’t her Focus acting up; the images came from her memory, not a recording from the device at her ear. 

It made her grumpy to know that her mind was playing tricks on her. She had put it past her, she’d tell herself. It had happened two years ago. She hadn’t had to kill a single man since she had destroyed Hades and she rarely had to kill machines as it was just easier to override them most of the time. 

There weren’t many machines in the Sacred Land that she actually needed to fight. Now, if she returned to Meridian, then she might need to fight again. That terrified her, as stupid as that made her feel. She knew it was illogical. She had killed every type of machine created from the Cauldrons and had scars to prove it. She had faced off against Stormbirds, Rockbreakers, and even the mighty Red Maw that had taken many hunters down, all at the age of nineteen. Now at twenty-two, she should have been able to face them without any inclination of doubt. 

She would sit there late at night, sitting in front of a fire, staring into the flames until it blurred out the sides of her vision. She had faced Deathbringers and Corrupters, had killed the man who had murdered Rost, and had destroyed Hades. 

That was always the constant reminder that she forced herself to remember; she had destroyed Hades. Again and again, she’d repeat it, trying to convince her of the fact. So why did it feel like he was still at the back of her head, hanging onto every fear? 

He was a ghost who plagued her. 

Tonight had been a particularly bad night. She had woken to herself screaming, jerking awake with her hand grabbing for her spear. It was only seconds later that she realized that her nightmare of red tendrils and static voices had just been a dream. Still, gasping for breath, her eyes darted around her, searching the hut for something she would not find. 

The fire was faintly crackling, nothing but coals now. She could hear the wind howling outside, shaking the shutters of the windows. Everything sat where it had been when she had gone to sleep. 

She pushed herself out of bed, her legs shaky. Her mouth felt dry, as if she had been running, and she made her way to a water barrel that she kept in one corner of the hut. She grabbed a wooden cup and uncovered the barrel, dipping the cup into the cold water. She drank heavily from it, tilting her head back as if she were downing a pint of ale. Covering the water barrel, she placed the cup back on its place atop it. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, standing there for a moment. 

If Rost had been here, he would have told her to go back to sleep. _“You need your rest,”_ he would have said. The mere thought of him made her chest tight. When would everything stop reminding her of him? 

Perhaps never. He was part of her. Everything that she had become was because of his guidance. Perfect. She had always had to be perfect. But she wasn’t perfect. She would never be perfect. If she _had_ been perfect, she could have saved a lot of people. 

Wandering back over to her bed – what had once been Rost’s bed – she took in a deep breath and released it with a huff. She was being ridiculous. Childish. She just needed to shake this unsteady feeling. Morning would bring a new awareness if she could just _sleep_. 

She laid down and stared up at the ceiling, olive eyes searching the wooden beams for their familiar imperfections. It didn’t take long for her to begin dozing off, her eyelids drooping and her mind filling with a pleasant fog that breeched the border of dreams. 

However, she was thrown back into the waking world upon the sound of something hitting the side of the hut. She flew back up, this time actually taking hold of her spear, which she kept by the bed. 

Silence. 

She got up anyway, slipping into her boots before heading towards the door. She flicked on her Focus, scanning the area. She found something small near the side of the hut, where she had heard the sound, but it was an unfamiliar shape and her Focus couldn’t register it through the wall, which was odd enough in itself. Pushing open the door, she stepped out into the cold night, red hair whipping around her face. She shivered, though held her spear at the ready. Glancing around with her Focus, she saw nothing around her home besides the small unnamed thing. She rounded the side of the porch, a frown well placed on her freckled face. 

She could smell something burning, though it was something she associated to the scent of a wounded machine; oily and metallic. 

Her stack of firewood blocked her view, causing her to move around it, though with caution. There, she found a beast of new make. Its single eye was a dull yellow, small chirps leaving its beak-like mouth as its metal wings twitched. 

Wide eyed, Aloy knelt down beside it, finding that it struggled before her. One of its wings sparked and she noticed that one of the metal platings was bent at an odd angle. It reminded her somewhat of the ginthawks of the desert, but it was far smaller, roughly the size of her forearm. 

She wasn’t sure why a Cauldron would make something like this. What purpose did it possess? What use did it have on earth? Reaching out, she touched its wounded wing, finding that it was the cause of the bird’s fall. With it bent like that, it seemed the creature couldn’t fly. She pressed her lips together, wondering if she should put it out of its misery or not. 

Since the discovery of how the machines came to be, she felt a type of connection to them. It was sympathy that Rost would have reprimanded her for. Well, sympathy _anyone_ would reprimand. 

But every machine had a purpose. 

“Don’t do anything funny now,” she muttered as she scooped the machine up into her arms. It continued to squirm, but only let out its weak chirps. Aloy had to remind herself that it was just the AI. It couldn’t actually feel or think. 

Damn it. 

With a sigh, she carried the bird back into the hut, shutting the door loudly with frustration. She laid the machine down in front of the fire, plopping down beside it. She flicked on her Focus again, scanning the thing now that it was closer. 

UNIDENTIFIED ENTITY, the pixels read out before disappearing. 

She hated that word; entity. That’s what Hades had called her over and over. It took her a lot of research to learn that the word meant a subject, or rather something of existence. 

Aloy blew out a puff of air. “So you’re unnamed. Great.” 

Examining the creature, she noticed how it had grinding gears at the back of its beak, visible only when it opened its mouth to make one of its weak chirps. It wasn’t like the sounds that the other flying machines made, too light. 

“I guess I could name you myself,” she muttered as she turned it body around, exploring more of its structure. It had two blaze canisters along the top of its spine, one of them broken. She wondered if there was a way she could fix it. She had learned long ago that she could fix her Striders’ broken blaze canisters by replacing them. 

But she wouldn’t be able to find one so small. Oh great, the perks of finding a new machine. 

“Well,” she drew out the word, sitting back as she let her gaze roam over it. In the light, the machine reminded her more of a Stormbird than a Glinthawk. It chirped again. “Hmm… Maybe I’ll call you a Chirper, since that’s all you seem to do.” 

Reaching down, she took hold of the wounded wing, bending the broken plating back into its place. The bird squawked in response, though Aloy was well aware that the metal beast could not feel anything. She added in a sigh, grabbing for her spear, which she had laid down beside her. 

“I should override you just in case,” she said, placing the butt of her spear to the creature’s body. Her Focus came alive with the contact and she gave a mental command for it to override the bird. 

She watched as the Chirper’s cords began to turn blue, spreading throughout its body. It only took a few seconds, as she had expected. The smaller the machine, the easier it was to override. 

“There we go,” she muttered as she pulled her spear away, though the beast did not move for another few seconds. However, when it did move, it sat up on its taloned feet, giving a loud squawk. Her response was to pet its rounded head, as she would with her Strider. 

She knew, logically, that petting the machines did nothing for them. They were just that; machines. They couldn’t think and she _knew_ it. But it seemed she had to remind herself that more and more lately. 

“Well, I’m going to get some sleep.” She stood from her spot, taking her spear with her as she approached her bed once more. Having a machine in the hut seemed to make her feel safer, as strange as that thought was. 

An overridden machine would fight for her if anything hinted at danger. 

Setting her spear by her bed, she laid down and stared up at the ceiling. The gentle hum of the Chirper lulled her into a dreamless sleep, where her body was finally able to rest.


	2. Chapter 2

Sweat rolled down between Aloy’s shoulder blades as she worked in repairing the hole in her roof. She held a nail in place as she tacked it down with her hammer, two other nails sticking out of one corner of her mouth. The spring months had begun and thus improvements on the house were made. Not that there were many to make, but a home as old as this did tend to need a few repairs here and there. She had already put it off for a month longer than necessary. 

There could have been better things to do on her birthday, but she couldn’t think of any. As a kid, Rost would always take her to this one area that overlooked all of the Sacred Land. And though he was never much of a talker, he would tell her of the Nora’s beliefs and rituals. She had always figured it was so she would know how things were once she became a Brave. Her last couple of birthdays had been lacking without him. 

Hammering the final nail into place, she sat back, wiping sweat from her brow as she huffed out a breath. She had her red hair pulled up into a high pony tail, keeping the silky locks off her back in the sweltering heat. It was always hotter on the hills during this time in the year than it was in the valley. The snow had melted down off the mountains, giving way to the sun. Aloy had learned that the earlier months of the year hadn’t always been this hot. Climate change, a text-log had explained to her once. 

Perhaps that was something even GAIA’s subfunctions couldn’t fix. 

“Alright,” she hummed to herself. “That’s the last one.” 

Standing from her spot, she walked over to the ladder and climbed down it, thinking on what her next task should be. She needed more drinking water and that was a process in itself that was going to take a while; first she had to gather it, the she had to boil it. A fox had died in their well during the winter and it was going to take some time before it would be safe enough to drink out of again. Which was a bother in itself. Now she had to go all the way down to the nearest creek to gather her water. 

It made bathing highly inconvenient, so she had taken to just bathing in the creek as well. Even if it had been a very cold venture that had left her shivering for quite some time. Her Chirper was sitting on the railing as she turned the corner and it brought its attention to her as she headed towards the door. She affectionately pat its head as she walked by. Many other Chirpers had begun to show up within the several months since Aloy had discovered hers. The Nora were calling them Gatherers, last time she heard. Apparently, they gathered left over machine parts that the Glinthawks couldn’t pick up with their large ‘beaks.’ 

Aloy continued to call hers ‘Chirper,’ despite this. Chirps for short. 

She had discovered many uses for Chirp, such as using it as a source of sight. Shortly after Chirps had been fixed, Aloy had found that she could use her Focus to see what it saw. She could send it flying and scout the surrounding area through its single eye. It was an interesting find, though she wasn’t sure when she would ever need that much of a vantage point. 

After chugging several cups of cold water, Aloy returned outside and put her hands to her hips, scanning her yard. She still had a fire going in one corner, smoking meat. It was a week’s worth of meals, not that it was hard to come by food. 

She took everything in for a moment, thinking on what to do next, before she paused her musings. There was a low sound past her gate, a rumble that sounded like a man talking. It had her body tensing up, a million emotions flaring up in the back of her mind, though one prominent one made it through the cacophony; what was someone doing on her mountain? 

Glancing over at Chirps, she decided within a second that she was going to leave it there. Instead she grabbed her spear from where she had it propped up by the door. She felt safer with it in her hand and took in a steadying breath before making her way towards the gate. She wasn’t going to be sneaky about this; there was no need to. Someone was trespassing and she was going to let them know that they were not to return. If need be. She would have liked to avoid violence unless necessary. 

Briefly, she wondered if it was someone from the tribe. They didn’t often come here; it was far too much of an uphill trek and they often didn’t get anything but an annoyed Aloy who promptly told them to go away. Sometimes she would listen to those who absolutely needed her help, but most of the time it was selfish tribe members who often mistook her for a means of getting what they wanted. 

The only person she hadn’t been upset to see had been Varl, but that had been a long time ago. Now even his presence sent a spike of dread down her spine. He had often made his way up her trails to see her, bringing his kind smile and even kinder words. She brushed the thought of him away as she rounded the corner of her gate, the constant hum of talking bringing a scowl to her freckled face. However, her body ran cold upon seeing a man kneeling before Rost’s grave. 

“…and I think you, uh, raised a wonderful girl. She really is something special to have risked her neck for so many people,” the man was saying, one of his arms slung across his knees. 

Aloy stepped closer, suspicion raising the hairs on the back of her neck. “Excuse me?” she asked, her voice sharp. The man’s head jerked to the side to look at her, his blue eyes wide. She almost stumbled on her own feet, her heart jumping into her throat. She should have known by the deep rumble of his voice, the awkwardness in how he spoke, that this was a man that she had grown to know during her travels. 

“Erend?” she asked, sounding almost unsure. He had definitely changed within the past couple of years. For starters, he had grown out his hair and now the sides were level with what used to be his mohawk. However, his beard had stayed the same, which was the only thing that had allowed her to recognize him. 

He stood from his spot, a goofy grin coming across his face. He wasn’t wearing his usual armor, but instead a simple pale tunic, a pair of well fitted pants, and a pair of boots. A belt was swung across his chest, strapped to the harness of his war hammer. Another indicator that it was truly him. 

“Hey,” he began, appearing mildly taken aback by her sudden appearance – clearly having not wanted her to catch him in the act of talking to her father’s grave. “Do you perhaps have a minute?” Aloy dropped her spear and ran over to him, nearly jumping on him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder. She hugged him tight to her, though perhaps he was hugging her tighter, steadying himself so they both would not tilt back and fall onto the ground. 

“I might have two minutes,” she said against his shoulder, her toes just barely touching the ground as the two stood there. She hadn’t realized how comforting his arms would have been, nor how warm and good smelling he was. Not frilly like those from Meridian, but rather a comforting scent that was a mixture of embers and something else she couldn’t name. 

Erend gave her a big squeeze, laughing delightfully. “Have you gotten lighter? I remember you being a very scary worrier woman last time I saw you.” 

She pulled away, though she kept her hands on his shoulders. She gave a snorted laugh. “I think you have a distorted vision of me. I’m _still_ a big scary savage, remember?” 

“Yeah, but you’re my favorite savage,” he joked. 

Aloy laughed again, smacking his bicep hard. She pulled away completely then, though she instantly missed his touch. He let his hands fall to his hips, standing proudly before her. She mocked his stance. 

“God, I haven’t seen you since…” he trailed off, his smile falling. Her smile followed and she didn’t need him to finish for her to know where he had been going. They hadn’t seen each other since she had finished helping Meridian recover from the battle with Hades and the Eclipse. She had spent nearly a month with the city, helping them recuperate. She had been amongst the many to help the search in finding both the dead and injured. She had helped hand out food alongside the Sun King and she had gone around with Erend and his Vanguard, constructing tents for the injured to lay under while medics looked them over. 

But she had had to leave; the Nora had needed her as well. Even if the battle had been won, countless lives had been lost. Aloy wanted to do everything she could to help those in need. Because wasn’t that what Elisabet would have done? She liked to think that she would have been proud of her. 

“So, what is the Captain of the Vanguard doing up here to see a Nora Savage?” she asked hoping to break the tension as a crooked grin tugged at her lips. 

“I was taking a stroll,” he said, his smile returning. 

“Oh yes, a hundred mile stroll. I like those,” she returned, raising her eyebrows. “You should have invited me. I’m insulted, Captain.” 

“I would have, but I couldn’t remember what smoke signals I needed to summon the great Nora huntress,” he eyed her, wiggling his bushy eyebrows. 

They broke into laughter again and the tension seemed to roll off the both of them. The warm heat of the afternoon had previously felt too thick, but now Aloy felt refreshed that it was hot instead of frigid like it had been the last time the two had seen each other. 

Erend took a step back, as if he need a little bit of distance between them, somewhat breaking the bout of joy they had just been sharing. He seemed to fumble for words for a moment, before finally saying; “I guess I just wanted to see if you were, uh, still alive.” 

“I am,” she said, as if she needed to clarify. She went to wipe her dirty hands on her pants, only to remember that she was wearing a pair that had been cut off shorter for the heat, exposing her freckled thighs. 

Erend’s eyes darted down to watch her hands before he quickly tore his gaze away, both of their cheeks flushing red. He was used to the revealing clothes of the Carja, but Aloy was no Carja raised girl. Somehow seeing her skin seemed scandalous. 

He seemed to finally take her in, noting how she was barefoot, wearing a sleeveless shirt that hung on her loosely, exposing her collarbones and freckled shoulders. She wore a simple necklace with a wooden talisman around her neck, held in place by a leather cord. 

She shifted uncomfortably, clearing her throat. “Um, do you want to come get a drink? I can offer you both ale and water.” 

Birds chirped in the trees around them and rabbits rustled through the grass. A blue jay landed atop Rost’s grave, the sounds breaking the tense silence that threatened to seep into the area upon their suddenly awkward encounter. 

Finally, Erend said “Since when did you start drinking?” 

Aloy snickered, waving for him to follow as she turned towards the gate, beginning her way up the small path. “I take my share of spirits every once in a while. Now, did you really come all the way here just to see me or do you have business in the Sacred Lands?” 

“Business, sadly. But I _have_ been wanting to see you,” he followed her past the gate, noting a Strider sitting in a little grove that sloped up to another wall. The machine grazed on some grass, the grinding sound now familiar to him since the two years after the Derangement. 

Machines were now all docile, but some still tensed with them around. Erend wasn’t one of those people, though. He saw the machines as useful and even had a Broadhead of his own, which he had left with his men before traveling up the mountain to see Aloy. 

He noted how old this Strider looked, sporting a few scratches and dents. She must have had this one for quite some time. 

“What’s the business? The Sun King can’t possibly want anything from the Nora. They have nothing to give.” Aloy snorted, as if that were ridiculous. She invited him inside her home and he paused on the porch, turning a confused look to the Gatherer on her porch railing. 

It made a small chirp at him, shuffling on its feet to move closer. Out of instinct, he pet its head, shaking his own. Of course Aloy would have machines around her. He should have expected that. He followed her inside. 

Aloy was at her barrel in the corner, gathering two cups of water. She brought them over to a small table with only two chairs, both of them rickety and old, but sturdy enough to hold a full grown man. She sat the cups atop the table. 

“Let’s start with water,” she muttered almost to herself. 

Erend nodded his agreement as he pulled out a chair and plopped down. “Well, every year Avad sends men here to give a little speech about how much the Nora helped Meridian during its darkest hour. We give it at the ceremony before the Proving.” 

At this, Aloy looked up at him in surprise. She hadn’t heard of such a thing, but perhaps that was because she never attending any of the Proving ceremonies. They brought back too much pain. She pressed her lips together, quickly looking away from him. If she hadn’t gone to the Proving, Rost would still be alive. 

But she also wouldn’t have met any of the friends she later abandoned. It was a two headed snake that ended with both biting her in the back. 

She sat down in her seat, her movements fluid and silent, like the little huntress that she was. “I always forget about the Proving,” she lied. “I never go, but I might’ve if I had known you were there.” 

It was a small flirt, so small that she was sure he missed it. She cursed herself for even saying something like that. It was reckless and stupid, even if it was just something so small. She hoped he took it as a friendly gesture at most. 

“Oh, I don’t usually go. This is my first time back since…” he trailed off and they both sat in a moment of silence, never meeting each other’s eyes. Erend took a quick gulp of his water, suddenly realizing that he needed it after his climb. When he sat it back down, he hoped to break the tension. “I’m giving the speech this year. You should come and bring me some luck.” 

She smiled, a small twitch of her lips. “Maybe. It’s just hard being down there.” 

He leaned on his elbows, crossing his arms atop the table. His expression fell into one of concern. “Aloy, what have you been up to? We all thought you had disappeared into thin air.” 

Aloy nodded, because she was sure it had seemed like that. After all, she had been a large helping hand – nearly passing out from both the lack of eating and sleeping – in helping those who had been damaged during Hades’ near destruction. She had even helped in taking apart Deathbringers in order to clear them away from debris that would later be built back up into the walls they once had been. She had spent countless days in the slums of the people, holding hands of those injured or pulling bodies from rubble. She had seen her fair share of dead and it haunted her even to this day. 

“I came back here, after doing my best in Meridian. I helped the Nora rebuild. They all still believe in their precious All Mother, but they also still think I’m their Anointed. They almost expected me to return and help them.” She folded her arms on the table, much like how he had. “I ended up helping them clear away the machines and I, uh… eventually was asked to wed.” 

Erend tensed up and she saw it, her own muscles reacted, waiting for some sort of outburst. Which was odd, because Erend only seemed surprised. 

“Are you getting married?” he asked, breathless. 

“No,” she assured, though it came in the form of a snap. “Varl was a good man, but he pushed too many of my boundaries in the end. He only wanted me because he saw me as the ‘Chosen One,’ just like everyone else. In the end, I thought he really cared about me, but I don’t think he did.” 

She rubbed at the back of her neck, giving a nervous laugh. She wasn’t sure why she had shared that with him. It was not important, really. Varl and her had only had interest in each other for three to four months at most. It died away as quickly as it had started. He had mentioned marriage, a settled life with children, and she had tensed, quickly breaking the whole thing off. She liked kissing him, but commitment was not what she wanted. It didn’t help that he had taken the rejection by huffing and storming off. 

“That’s rough, buddy,” was all Erend could say. There was a part of him that was utterly relieved that Aloy wasn’t settling down with anyone, though it was something most Nora would have done by now. 

“Not really,” Aloy laughed. “That was nearly a year and a half ago. I wasn’t sore about it then, and I’m not sore about it now.” 

Erend grinned, reaching over to tap her bicep with his knuckles. “That’s the machine tamer I know.” 

She liked how fondly he looked at her, as if she was something to be proud of. It made her toes and fingers tingle, her heart pounding relentlessly in her chest. She knew he saw her as just a friend, but she couldn’t help giving in a little bit of hope. After all, he had climbed a mountain to see her. 

“So,” he said, drawing her attention back to conversation, jabbing his thumb behind him. “You have a Gatherer out there.” 

She nodded. “I found it a couple months ago. I named him Chirps. Even my Focus registered him as that.” 

“Oh, so you found him as those little buggers started popping out of nowhere.” Erend chuckled, leaning back in his chair, as if he found this highly amusing. “I should have known you would have tamed one by now.” 

Aloy brushed a loose lock of hair from her face, smiling her crooked little smile. “He likes bread, oddly enough. Did you know they can eat food like us? It makes them happier than when you override them. I overrode Chirps, but just for safe measures.” 

“The Derangement has been over for two years, Aloy.” He looked at her questionably now. Out of everyone, he would have expected her to be more friendly with the machines than anyone else. At this point, he would have expected to see a Ravager or Sawtooth outside. She had once admitted to him that Ravagers were her favorite because they gave out pretty howls. 

“Just to be safe,” she repeated, muttering to herself as she looked away from him. 

Now Erend watched her with concern, seeing how her eyes changed. They went from bright and alert to suddenly being far away, as if all the light had died within them in the flash of a second. 

He reached over, squeezing her shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. We all have our fears.” 

She looked up at him again, but her eyes were still dead. “I don’t,” she said and there was a quaver in her voice that made Erend highly doubt that. However, she stood before he could speak again, brushing his hand from her shoulder. “Are you hungry? I have some meat cooking.” 

“I’m starving, actually.” He decided to let her drop the subject. He had seen some of his Vanguard come back looking like that. He had seen many women and men with that look in their eyes, too. War scars that couldn’t be seen, he called them. It could make a person crazy with paranoia. 

He wondered how long Aloy had been hiding herself away up on this mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter feels a little rushed. I wrote this while barely awake and I'm super sick right now, so yeah...  
> I hope to have the next chapter out either later today or tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Erend left Aloy before dark, bidding her a farewell that had both of them hesitating in silence. It reminded her of the last time they had said goodbye, standing on the bridge that led out of Meridian. He had looked at her with such sadness that she had almost stayed. There was something about his sad smile that seemed to hide a million things he could have said. He had put a hand on her shoulder, a steady squeeze, and let her leave. 

This time his smile was different, because he knew this wouldn’t be the last time he saw her before he left. He had convinced her to come down to the celebration that would take place in two days. She had at first protested greatly, coming up with a dozen excuses, but he had given her that soft smile and she had finally agreed. 

She didn’t let herself watch him leave, instead ducking back into her house, her lips pressed into a thin line. She felt somewhat stronger than she had in months; Erend still saw her as the warrior he had known when she had left Meridian. His views on her hadn’t changed and there was a type of relief in that. She should have known Erend would have always been there for her. After all, hadn’t he been at her side at the end of her battle with Hades? It was true Varl had been there as well, but… that was different. Varl had felt that he _had_ to be there because of All Mother. Erend had been there for _her_. 

Chewing on her bottom lip, Aloy settled down at her table, noting the two cups still sitting there. She hadn’t realized how lonely she had been until he was gone. She missed being around people, yet that also terrified her. Big crowds were never going to feel normal, after having lived most of her life as an Outcast. 

Maybe she could enjoy herself at the ceremony the night before the Proving. She could watch the new teens who would become Braves, their excited faces, and remember how happy she had been the night before her own Proving. Though sleeping in a Nora lodge had definitely been weird. She was sure she never would have gotten used to that if she had stayed. 

She huffed, feeling her shoulders tense at the idea of going into Mother’s Heart again. She hadn’t been there in months, having only gone there to buy clothes from Teb when she needed them. She always paid him a large sum of shards, despite the fact that he protested greatly. 

Teb was perhaps the only Nora that Aloy felt true happiness to see. He didn’t expect anything of her like the others. He had always been one hundred percent on her side. She found relief in that. She would often find herself delving into conversation with him, if only to talk with an actual person. 

She rubbed at her eyes, giving a loud sigh before leaning back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do for the next two days. With Erend so close by, she wanted nothing more than to go down to Mother’s Heart – or wherever Erend and his men were stationed – and talk to him for hours and hours. She could probably find a million things to discuss. She had asked him about what he had been doing for the past two years, but the setting of the sun had cut their conversation short. 

Maybe she’d simply finish what she needed to do here at home; continue fixing up the place. That should take up most of her time until she could see him again. Why was she so desperate to talk to him? It was true that she found herself to be lonely, yet she felt more desperate to talk to him over anyone else. Perhaps it was because she had missed him. She had developed somewhat of a crush on him while she had been in Meridian, but she had crushes on a lot of people. It was simply because she had never had so many people paying much attention to her, especially in a flirtatious manner. 

Erend had been the first person to show interest in her and she hadn’t even picked it up at first. It hadn’t crossed her mind until much later. She had been too busy to think about romance. 

Growing up, she had never considered being with anyone. It had never occurred to her that she _could_ be with anyone. Especially since Rost had never exactly explained any of that to her. Oh how that had been a rude awakening while she was with Varl. Growing up an Outcast with a conservative father figure had proved to set her up for relationship disasters. 

Groaning, Aloy attempted to push those thoughts aside. Relationships were the last thing she wanted to think about. She could face off against a Thunderjaw, but the idea of romantic relationships made her quake in her boots. She wasn’t ever going to be good at that. 

She got up from her chair and walked over to her bed, dragging her feet in a lazy fashion. Flopping face first down onto the bed, she groaned again. Solitude suited her better, she thought to herself. There was no stress of making mistakes with people. 

* * *

No one had expected to see Aloy at the Proving ceremony. When she arrived, there was a chorus of excitement, bringing forth many to greet her as she walked through Mother’s Heart, her own heart beating relentlessly within her chest. She smiled to those who approached her, speaking animatedly with her, regardless of her lack of response. Her eyes danced through the crowd, finding that she recognized too many faces. 

She had saved these people, she had to remind herself. If it weren’t for her, they’d be dead. Yet they still would not use her name, simply calling her the Anointed, despite her utter hate for the word. She almost preferred being called Savage. The Nora worshipped her as if she were a god and she still felt resentment for it. 

Those who once had scowled and sneered at her presence now greeted her with grins and elation. She almost wanted to scowl herself, yet kept herself from doing so. None of her snarky comments nor her commands to not praise her went unheard, and eventually she had begun to give up on telling them to quit. It was just the way of the Nora, she’d have to remind herself. 

There were feasts to be had, joyous outcry as those around her celebrated the ones who would become Braves upon the following morning. She felt a sort of melancholy towards it all, as if she were reliving her own Proving. An event that she had been so excited about, only for it to end in Rost’s death. 

Taking in a shaky breath, she attempted to push those thoughts away in favor of enjoying the festivities. She made her way up the path that led to where she was sure Erend would be giving his speech. She was stopped along the way several times, forced into more unwanted conversation. She was as polite as she could be, nodding and smiling before bidding her farewell. 

Finally, she made it to the top of the hill, breathing a sigh of relief, though such relief was quickly taken away from her as she saw people dispersing from the area. Erend was standing beside the stage, speaking with a Sun Priest. Her heart began to race, dread filling her belly. She had missed his speech. 

Nervously, she approached him, her cheeks flushed and shame etched across her features, though she quickly hid that away upon Erend turning to face her, as if he had sensed her presence. A grin lit up his face and she wasn’t sure why she had expected him to be upset with her. 

“You finally made it,” he said, seeming more than happy that she was here. 

“Sorry I missed your speech,” she stammered. “I was held up by the crowd.” 

He laughed, clapping a hand atop her shoulder and giving it a friendly shake. “Ah, it’s alright. You missed the fruit throwing.” 

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “There was fruit throwing? But the Nora are on good terms with Meridian.” 

“I’m joking,” Erend chuckled, though his smile faltered briefly when he realized that she thought he was serious. He released her shoulder. “Nope, no fruit throwing, but there were a lot of cheers when I brought you up.” 

At this, she rolled her eyes and let out of puff of air. “Of course.” 

“Hey, don’t get too excited,” he teased. “We don’t need all that fame going to your head.” 

“Oh trust me,” she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. “I don’t think it’ll ever go to my head. I’d be perfectly happy if they began calling me Outcast again.” 

Erend shook his head, chuckling. “You know, we could always use a good huntress back in Meridian.” He saw the sudden skeptical look on her face and faltered. “I mean, if you ever get bored of this place.” 

Her expression softened once more. “I might take you up on that.” And she thought that she just might. Granted, she definitely did not want to make the travel all the way there, but perhaps leaving the Sacred Land would do her some good. Maybe a new adventure would stop the fear that had been settling into her bones. 

“Yeah?” Erend’s whole demeanor brightened. Even his grin widened, if that were possible. “You could travel with us if you wanted. Unless you’d prefer to go alone.” The last part was a tease, making her remember how she used to tell him that she preferred to work alone. 

“Hm,” she smirked. “Traveling with the Vanguard? Oh, I don’t know. Do I really want to be around a bunch of men on a long journey to Meridian?” 

Erend raised his eyebrows. “Is that supposed to mean something?” 

“I don’t know. Is it?” she raised her own eyebrows, challenging him. “I mean, I have my standards.” 

“I’ll have you know that my men are the most respectful men, Aloy of the Nora.” He feigned insult and she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her lips. 

She shoved his shoulder. “Well, at least they aren’t a bunch of Oseram.” 

Erend held up one of his hands, counting on his fingers. “First, you insult my men, then you insult my tribe? You’re hittin’ below the belt tonight. What’s up next? Are you going to insult my beard too?” 

She made a so-so gesture with her hand, scrunching up her face. “I mean, couldn’t you grow it out properly?” 

He crossed his arms, giving her a look that had her laughing. “Again, hittin’ below the belt. But it seems you Nora women have a habit of that.” 

She grinned. “It seems we do. Now, do you want to get some drinks or are we just going to stand here all night throwing punches?” 

“Drinks for sure,” he chuckled, nodding. 

As they began to walk back towards the celebration, Aloy felt herself smile as she rubbed at one of her arms, cheeks hot. “I’ll think about it.” 

“Think about what?” Erend asked, taken aback. 

“Coming with you,” she said, her voice soft and just barely heard over the noise of the crowd. “I’ll think about it.” 

He smiled, nudging her with his elbow. “Meridian would be happy to see you.” 

She nodded, tearing her gaze away from him. She just hoped that she would be happy to see Meridian. At this thought, she parted her lips to say something more, but a loud crash had the both of them freezing. A chorus of screams followed and Aloy felt her heart slam hard against her ribs. 

Aloy and Erend looked at each other before racing down the rest of the path and towards the gate to Mother’s Heart, where the commotion had come from. Both of them stopped in their tracks when they saw that the gates had been crushed in, along with part of the wall, now a flaming mess. 

The crowd had begun running from the area, screams and smoke filling the air. Aloy worried that her heart may give out as she saw the sight of the machine that had broken through the wall. A machine that resembled the build of a Faro war robot. It charged into the area, several of its turrets whirring up and preparing to fire. 

It was a beast of a machine, its legs consisting of what looked like tentacles, the sharp ends stabbing into the ground as it moved like that of a spider, a speed in which she had never seen in a machine. It was as dark as the night, its red eye being the only thing that would have alerted its presence if it had been pitch black outside. Its head was lined with several turrets, hooked to a large container on the back of its head, which she assumed held the bullets. 

Its rotating head swiveled towards where Aloy stood and she felt her knees nearly give out as it gave a loud screeching noise before charging at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That awkward moment when you're facing a new machine threat and you left your weapons at home. Aw dang! Hate it when that happens.


	4. Chapter 4

When the bullets began to scatter the ground like raindrops from the sky, Aloy hadn’t had the time to dodge the attack, having been frozen in place by both fear and astonishment. However, it was Erend who had gotten her out of the way, yanking her from harms ways as the machine began to fire. The two went rolling onto the ground, bullets just barely missing them. Erend was the first to scramble up, quickly grabbing Aloy by the arm to drag her up as well, yanking her behind one of the houses within the area. Within a moment, he was shouting orders at his men as they flanked behind him. 

Aloy could hardly hear them over the rampant beating of her heart, the loud thrum of it in her ears. She wanted to curl up, cover her ears with her hands in order to make the sound of the bullets stop. The machine, it was real and it was angry. But Hades was gone. He had to be! So what was a Faro machine doing here _attacking_ them? 

She pressed her back up against the building, attempting to remember how to breath as the chaos ensued just past the wall. She could hear the machine moving - could practically feel its tactical-like appendages penetrating the ground with every step, its metal crunching and clanging with the movement. Its turrets would only stop for a moment before beginning again and she watched as it blew 

chunks for a neighboring wall, a small shriek leaving her lips. 

Erend and the Vanguard were taken aback by the sound leaving the Nora’s lips, as they had never heard or seen her show any sort of fear. Now Erend noted the way Aloy was reacting to the attack and it made his chest tighten momentarily before he barked out more orders to his men. This wasn’t the time to falter simply because the girl was panicking. 

His men responded to his orders without hesitation; arrows knocked onto bows, bombs were lit, and spears were held at the ready. They moved out from behind the house and made their way to others, drawing the attention of the machine. Arrows were sent flying, the bombs were thrown, more noise added to the cacophony of bullets. 

“Aloy,” Erend had to shout over the noise, grabbing the woman by her upper arm, his grip was firm but not harsh. “Can you see the machine’s weakness with that fancy ear piece of yours?” 

With a shaky hand, she reached up to feel for her Focus, as if she had forgotten it was there. She flicked it on, turning her head to let it scan through the wall. It instantly picked up the machine’s figure, pointing out its weak points in yellow. “I-its ammo barrel a-and the notches on its legs.” 

“Shit,” Erend hissed. “Those are going to be hard to hit.” 

Before she could respond, he barked out more orders to his men. However, his orders were cut short when the machine picked up a large boulder and tossed it towards the house Aloy and him were hiding behind. With a panicked yelp, both went flying to the ground as the logged walls of the house caved outward, the force knocking them forward. 

A piece of the shattered boulder hit Aloy’s right arm and Erend heard a loud crack before Aloy shrieked, clutching to her arm as she fell hard onto her back. She just barely caught her bearings through the searing pain when something heavy and sharp fell right beside her head. She forced her eyes open to see the machine just above her. It raised a leg, most likely intending to slam it down onto her. 

Erend’s hammer came cracking down against one of its legs and the machine tipped sideways before catching itself. But it was enough time for him to grab hold of Aloy’s good arm, dragging her to her feet. One of his men was quick to grab hold of her as the others ascended on the machine, firing both bombs and arrows, setting the thing ablaze. It howled out a horrible metal shriek that filled the air. 

Aloy tripped over her own feet as she was led away from the fight by the man who had taken her up. He was quick to catch her, releasing a small curse as he supported the downed huntress. Her body began to fall limp as pain shot through her in several different places, too sharp for her to ignore it. She heard sounds of sobbing and she didn’t realize it was from herself until the guard was scooping her up into his arms, dodging behind a building as boulders began to fly once more. 

She had never hurt so bad. Her side was flaring with pain that she had not noticing before and it had her gasping for breath, her body shuddering. Every movement sent a new sharp pain through her, leaving her to only cry. 

Aloy looked down at herself, desperately searching for the source of the pain. Her eyes widened open seeing the blood that now coated the front and side of her shirt, tears in the fabric revealing two bullet wounds on her left side, blood gushing from the holes. She had never seen so much blood come from her before and it caused a panicked sound to escape her pale lips as she clawed at the man holding her, silently begging him to help her. She could no longer form any words, resorted to only sobs, gasps, and undignified squeaks. 

She didn’t notice when the commotion of the fight settled, when the machine had been slain. Everything was just pain and no thoughts but ‘make it stop, make it stop’ could cross her mind. She didn’t see anything past her wounds, couldn’t hear the voice of the guard holding her. 

But suddenly there was Erend. She felt her body shift from the ground and into his arms, though it only caused a pain like that of a lightning bolt to shatter through her body, a squeaked cry leaving her lips. Then she was looking up at him and he was all she could see. His face was contorted in its own sort of pain, though it wasn’t a physical sort. 

She reached up with her good hand, meaning to grip him perhaps, but her hand slid against the shiny front of his armor, smearing blood across it. She continued to make her pitiful sounds as he held her, their eyes meeting briefly before he tore his gaze away, shouting orders that were too muffled for her to understand. 

_Help me,_ she wanted to scream. _Please, Erend, help me._

Her hand slipped against his chest once again in a useless effort before the pain shut her down like a machine, black ebbing at her vision until it swallowed her up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh lookie! Sad stuff!  
> Also, a quick sketch that I did while thinking about the chapter, which ended a lot more brutal than I had originally planned.  
> Here's a link to said sketch: http://emybunart.tumblr.com/post/159105060819/


	5. Chapter 5

Erend had seen countless men and women die within his thirty years of life. He had seen the onslaught of battle and the aftermath, had watched as entire villages were raided and put to flames. He had heard the countless cries and screams of people both in pain and dying. He was no stranger to it all. It was enough to haunt any man’s nightmares. But he was Oseram and Oseram drank that away. Drinking now, however, was the last thing he could think of doing. Which was certainly a first. Instead he stared on in horror as he watched a girl, who had saved millions of lives, cry and gasp for breath like someone who was terrified to die. 

In the time of knowing Aloy, he had never seen her show fear or hesitation in battle. She was always the one that would charge ahead first, maybe shouting out curses as she was nearly impaled by both men or machines. But she always came out practically unscathed, covered in bruises and shallow cuts at most. She had a skill about her that Erend hadn’t seen in most soldiers. She would come out of battles grinning. 

He had never expected to see her like this, because suddenly she was very much just a girl. A girl resorted to weak, yet panicked, sounds and desperate clutches of her one unwounded hand. In truth, he had seen her slight hesitation as her simply looking for some sort of weapon so she could join the fight. He had figured she only needed a few seconds to come up with something in order to fight alongside him. Then he had seen her face, the small yelp that had left her lips. He saw the way her chest heaved with panicked breaths. 

He had never seen a soldier panic within the heat of battle. Before? Yes. During? No. There wasn’t time for that. It was fight or flight. Aloy had done neither. 

Erend half wondered if it was from the bullet wounds at her waist. Perhaps that was what had caused the hesitation and panic. Though it certainly had not hit her fully until after her arm had broken. Erend had heard the crack of bone himself and it had sent a cold sweat through him. It had been her dominant arm and there certainly was no way she would have picked up a spear after that. 

After the machine had been destroyed, he had rushed to her side, only to find her in the crying mess that she had been reduced to. He had taken her up into his arms, holding her tenderly as she looked up at him with wide eyed desperation. 

His chest had felt tight and he was sure he was watching her die in his arms, just as he had with his sister. Though his sister’s death had certainly come much gentler and she had been ready for such a thing. Aloy was not. Aloy wanted to cling to life. 

He wasn’t going to let her die, not if he could help it; he began to bark orders at his man, demanding that they find a medicine woman/man. He knew they did not have doctors within the Nora tribe, but she needed someone. He knew some things about wounds – like how to sew one up and how to reset broken bones, but he was useless without some sort of supplies to use. 

One of him men informed him that there was a house unlocked that they could use, a long table within that they could rest her on. It was better than the ground or bed in this instance. So he hoisted her up, not that she was heavy to begin with, and followed his man into the house. The table was cleared with the swoop of the guard’s arm and Erend was quick to lay her onto it. 

“Get me something to stop the bleeding,” Erend ordered, his voice becoming eerily calm as he pressed both of his palms against her wound. She had passed out only a moment ago, but she was still breathing. It was the shock, he told himself. 

His man was quick to grab him a shirt from a clothes rack by a bed. He tossed it to him and Erend caught it without falter, pressing the fabric to her wounds. It instantly soaked up the red. He added more pressure. 

“Where the fuck is the medic?” he demanded, though his voice was hardly a breath. 

“I’ll find out,” the man said before ducking out of the house, darting outside to speak with the other men. 

Erend attempted to hold his hands steady, putting as much pressure on the wound as he could. Still, he felt the cloth dampen under his fingertips, the tan fabric turning crimson. “Don’t you dare go out like this,” he growled. “Don’t you dare.” 

An elderly woman came rushing into the house then, carrying a bag that he assumed – hoped - to be medical supplies. She sat it atop the table and he hated how she paused to take Aloy in before responding further. 

“May All Mother be with her,” the woman muttered before opening her bag and searching through it. “What is the wound?” 

“A gun shot, from the machine,” Erend told her, attempting to keep calm. 

The woman nodded. “We need to remove the bullets.” 

“No,” he growled out in correction. “We need to stop the bleeding. The bullets can be removed later.” 

The woman looked up at him in astonishment, as if she had never heard of not removing the bullets first. She parted her lips before Erend snapped at her once more. 

“She’ll die of blood loss before she dies of having two fucking bullets inside of her.” 

Finally the woman seemed to respond, grabbing a container of salve, unscrewing the metal lid in order to expose the balmy substance inside. She nudged Erend aside, forcing him to take his hands from Aloy’s waist. She pulled back the shirt before tearing Aloy’s undershirt away as well, in order to get to the wound. She scooped some of the salve onto her fingers, spreading it across the two holes. 

“For blood clotting,” she explained, though Erend had figured that much as the wound had finally stopped bubbling blood. They were such small holes in her flesh, yet there was so much blood. 

It covered his hands and armor, his shirt sleeves. It wasn’t the first time he had been covered in blood, but this was Aloy’s blood and that made his stomach churn. 

“Do you have some sort of brace in that bag of yours?” Erend asked, going to the other side of the table to look over her arm. It was bruising and at a wrong angle, though her bone hadn’t broken through her skin. He didn’t wait for the woman to answer, deciding that it was best to just reset the bone before it got worse. 

Taking hold of her arm just above the wrist and under her elbow, he pulled in opposite directions before popping the bone back into place. It made a sickening noise that he had heard far too many times. 

“We have metal braces, yes.” The woman wiped blood away from Aloy’s bullet wounds, which had clotted up, no longer bleeding. She continued to work fast, cleaning the area. “She will grow a fever if we do not extract these bullets. The poison is settling in.” 

“Poison?” Erend’s attention snapped up to the woman, blue eyes wide. “What poison?” 

The woman shook her head before digging through her bag to grab a pair of crude-looking pliers. “The wound is blackening with poison.” 

Erend turned his gaze down to the bullet holes, noticing now that the rim of them were turning an awful dark color, the veins around them a deep purple. He cursed. A machine with poisoned bullets? That certainly was going to pose an issue later, if more of them appeared. 

His eyes settled on the wound as the woman began to dig into one of the holes, searching for the bullet. Erend couldn’t watch further, instead placing his hand atop Aloy’s head, cupping one of her cheeks. She was pale – paler than he had ever seen her. Her lips were blue from blood loss, her eyes sporting dark circles. 

Her breathing was becoming shallow and he felt his chest tighten in panic. “Come on, Aloy. You’ve taken a beating before. This is only slightly worse than getting hit by a Thunderjaw tail. You can get through this. You have to.” 

He heard a plunk as the woman dropped a bullet onto the ground before going for the second. He didn’t dare look, instead keeping his focus on Aloy’s face, one of his hands falling atop her chest to feel her heartbeat under his fingertips. It was a dull thrum, but it was enough. 

Removing the last bullet, the woman let it drop to the floor as well before grabbing a new salve from her bag. “The most we can do now is hope the poison does not kill her. She’s also lost a lot of blood. May All Mother be with her tonight.” 

Erend looked up at the woman, scowling. He watched her spread the new salve over the wounds. He wasn’t sure what else to do, other than get that brace for her arm. 

“Lift up her waist so I can wrap this bandage around her,” the woman ordered and he obeyed. 

Carefully, he placed his hands under Aloy’s back and brought it up off the table enough for her to wrap a clean bandage cloth around her waist, after applying a thicker square of a bandage over the wound. She tied the wrapped cloth with a knot and Erend laid Aloy back down. 

“Now we wait,” she said. 

He didn’t like the idea of that, yet knew he had no choice. The one thing he wasn’t good at was waiting. He didn’t trust the old woman’s medical abilities, even if she had done all she could. There were proper doctors in Meridian. 

As the woman began to apply a brace to Aloy’s arm, Erend stormed out of the house, where his men were waiting outside, gathering up machine parts to take them out of the village. 

“Men!” he said, his voice harsh as he called their attention. “We leave for Meridian as soon as possible. Go back to the camp and gather the things.” 

The Vanguard responded accordingly, dropping what they were doing in order to obey their captain. The Nora had already come out of hiding and they took the place of the guards, beginning to scrap the machine in order to take it out. 

He returned back into the house once he was sure his men were on their way to pack up camp. He approached Aloy once more, affectionately smoothing his hand over the top of her head, pushing down red locks. 

“Can we move her somewhere more comfortable?” he asked, his face still stern as he looked over at the woman, who was just finishing with her task of tying the brace around Aloy’s arm. 

“Yes,” she was quick to say. “We can make accommodations. I will return shortly.” 

With that, she left Erend alone with Aloy. He finally let his hard expression fall as he grabbed one of the chairs that had been pushed aside. He fell into it, taking Aloy’s good hand into his own. “Shit, Aloy… this wasn’t how I wanted this evening to end. This isn’t how you’re supposed to go out, so don’t you dare die on me now.” 

Squeezing her hand, he inhaled and exhaled a shaky breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am no medical expect, but I did my best at researching this. Which meant looking up how to reset a broken bone. It was cringe worthy to say the least. But anyway... next chapter will be soon because I'm on a roll!


	6. Chapter 6

When she woke, her head throbbed and her body ached. The first thing she wanted to do was throw up, the second was to find out how she was even alive. She had broken out into a feverish sweat as she had slept, her clothes now clinging to her. She tried to sit up, if only so she wouldn’t choke if she did vomit. She groaned at the ache that rest at her side. She placed a hand atop the area, finding the rough texture of a bandage. She pried her eyes open and looked down at herself, finding that she was only wearing a loose tunic and her underwear, though she was covered by thick fur blankets. 

She fell back against the bed, gasping for breath from her attempt at sitting up. No, that was not going to happen. She still felt feverish, her breath hot and her head pounding relentlessly. Sweat beaded at her forehead, her hair sticking to her skin. She finally took in the fact that her arm was wrapped up as well, metal braces lining the sides. 

Slowly turning her head, she found a wall to her left and the rest of the room to her right. There was a chair sitting by the bed, but the rest of the room was mostly empty, save for a bag in one corner of the room, her weapons propped up beside it. She frowned, eyes squinting. She hadn’t had her weapons when the machine had attacked. Only her Focus. 

Releasing a huff of a breath, she reached up with her good hand and pressed her palm against her forehead, wishing the ache would go away. She took in a deep breath, she began to sit up again, gasping when it only caused the pain to get worse. She forced herself up anyway, placing a hand on her side as she slid her legs out of the blanks, one at a time. 

She pushed herself up from the bed, swaying on her feet, to which she was forced to use the wall as support. Her spear. She could use that to walk; it would keep her upright, at least. 

Putting her focus towards that, she made her way across the room, having to stop every few seconds when the pain became overpowering and even stepping forward was too much. She had nearly made it to her spear when the door across from her creaked open. She turned her head towards the sound, perhaps moving too fast, because her head spun and her knees nearly collapsed. 

Teersa rushed forward, having come to check on her and having not expected to see her awake. She managed to help support Aloy’s weight as the girl almost collapsed. “Aloy,” she gasped. “What are you doing up? You’re still badly wounded.” 

“I’m fine,” the redhead grunted, though they both knew it was a lie. Teersa helped her back to the bed, forcing her to lay down once more. 

“This is no time to argue with an old woman, Aloy.” The Matriarch gave her a look that had her clamping her mouth shut. After all, she was right. “Your wounds still bleed. You do not need to be up and walking.” 

Aloy tried to sound annoyed when she released a huff of breath, but she only sounded weak. “What happened?” 

“What do you remember?” Teersa asked in return. 

Eyes fluttering shut momentarily, the younger girl felt all of her brief strength leave her once more. She forced her eyes open, attempting to meet the older woman’s. “I…there was a machine. It attacked the gates.” 

“Yes, and you were the only one badly injured by it.” Teersa took the redhead’s good hand into her own, rubbing at the top of it, the skin pale and cold. “Almost everyone had been able to leave the area. The Braves and Vanguard fought and defeated the machine.” 

Aloy didn’t like the fact that she had been forced to sit back as everyone else had taken down the machine. She had never been one to back away from a fight, yet her wounds had caused her to not react. At least, that’s what she wanted to believe. What else could have caused her to freeze up like she had? 

“Erend,” she whispered. “Is he okay?” 

She wasn’t sure why he was the first person to come to mind, but the words left her lips before she could stop herself. She somewhat remembered him there while she was hurting, but it was all a haze. 

“He’s fine,” Teersa assured. “Actually, he’s waiting outside. He refused to go too far. He wanted to be here when you woke.” 

A lopsided smile tugged at Aloy’s lips, though she could just barely keep her eyes open. “He did?” 

The older woman pat her hand. “Would you like to see him?” 

She gave a small nod, swallowing thickly. “Can I have some water too?” 

“Of course,” Teersa whispered. As she stood, she meant to release Aloy’s hand, but the girl squeezed her fingers in a small attempt to show the woman affection. Giving her hand a squeeze in return, Teersa could only give her a sad smile. “I’ll be right back.” 

“Okay,” Aloy murmured, letting her eyes flutter shut as Teersa began towards the door. She swallowed hard again, finding that her throat felt sticky and hot, like it was burning up. Her stomach was still churning, though it was a small discomfort compared to the pain at her waist. 

It seemed that she had to wait forever for Teersa’s return, laying under several layers of fur, shivering despite her fever and the warmth of the room. She felt as if she were swaying back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness, her aches and pains becoming a common throb that she couldn’t tell apart. 

When the door finally creaked open again, she couldn’t force her eyes open, her breath shallow. She could just barely turn her head to the side, the only acknowledgment that she was awake. Somewhat, anyway. 

Heavy boots fell against the floorboards and she realized that the person who had entered certainly wasn’t Teersa. She forced her eyes open then, a sharp intake of breath moving past her lips as she tensed, suddenly more alert than she had been in what felt like hours. 

Her gaze fell on Erend and the tenseness left her like a deflated sack. She meant to give him a look, something to say ‘god, don’t you know how to knock?’ or perhaps ‘a little warning next time would be appreciated.’ In truth, she had forgotten that Teersa had gone to get him. 

“Sorry,” he said, the rumble of his voice comforting to her ears, despite the fact that she wished it wasn’t. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Teersa said I could come in and see you now.” 

“You couldn’t before?” she asked in a croak, though a smile tugged at her lips. “She’s a small woman, Erend.” 

He chuckled, carefully sitting down on the chair that was by the bed. She took notice of the cup in his hand and relief flushed through her. He reached out as she attempted to sit up. “Do you need help?” 

“N-no,” she began, but struggled to bend at the waist in order to sit herself up. “Yes.” 

Setting the cup onto the ground, Erend stood once more to help her into a sitting position. He placed a palm against the space between her shoulder blades, feeling how her sweat soaked through her tunic. He held out his other hand and she took it into her own, using it to brace herself as they made a joint effort. 

Face scrunching up, she panted and whimpered at the pain that radiated from her side. She clutched desperately to his hand, squeezing his fingers as hard as she could in her state. Erend watched her with concern, hoping to not further agitate her wounds in doing this small task. Perhaps he could invent a way for her to drink without sitting up. 

She propped herself up against the wall that the bed was pressed to, weakly gasping for breath as she took a moment to adjust to the new position. Erend’s hands were off of her as soon as she was situated and she wondered if he was disgusted with touching her when she was like this. She probably looked like a mess – more so than she ever had. 

He pressed the cup of water into her good hand before realizing that she could hardly hold it with how much she shook. With a sigh, he helped her bring the cup to her lips. She took in several large gulps before reeling back, sputtering out coughs. 

“That’s not water,” she hissed, her throat burning from the alcohol she had just chugged. She weakly pushed away his hand and the cup, though her fingers slipped across his knuckles before her hand fell against the bed. “When I said we’d get drinks earlier, I didn’t mean like this.” 

Erend forced a smile, holding the cup between his two hands as she continued to lean forward in the chair, his elbows resting atop his knees. “Yeah, I know. But trust me, this will make the pain go away. It’s a special Oseram brew.” 

She looked over at him, her eyes half lidded. She could feel the heat from the drink settle into her belly, warming her insides. She considered refusing once more for only a moment before shaking her head. “I’ll do anything to make this pain stop.” 

“Then drink,” he breathed, though it sounded somewhat like a plea leaving his lips. Once again, he helped her drink from the cup, watching as her nose and brow scrunched up in distaste for the concoction as she swallowed the remaining gulps. 

When he pulled the cup away again, she groaned. “That is foul.” 

He chuckled. “You’d get used to it if you were Oseram.” 

She nodded in small agreement, shimmying down in the bed until she was laying once more It was a much easier task than sitting up. The warmth of the drink was beginning to take effect, spreading throughout her entire body. It brought her relief in a way that she hadn’t realized was possible. She felt drowsiness take her over once more, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. 

A sort of silence had settled into the room and she hadn’t realized it until she was nearly asleep. Though the drink had eased her pain, she still felt somewhat gross, laying there in her own sweat, probably looking like an animal that needed to be put down. 

She turned her head towards Erend, peeking her eyes open to look at him. “Hey Erend?” 

“Yeah?” he let his gaze flicker over her face, counting freckles. 

Her eyes fluttered closed again, and she was just barely able to croak out, “Tell me you think I’m pretty.” 

A smile tugged at his lips as he dared to reach forward, placing a hand atop her shoulder. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, Aloy of the Nora.” 

Satisfied, Aloy allowed herself to slip off into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured I'd end that with a little fluff that Aloy probs won't remember.  
> Wanted to get this posted before I went to bed. Hope there aren't too many grammar mistakes.


	7. Chapter 7

Erend had made sure to collect Aloy’s weapons from her home, along with a bag of clothes for her. Which had been an almost embarrassing matter, had he not convinced himself that she would _need_ them later. She couldn’t exactly pack her own bag. He knew she would want her weapons, though. Even if she couldn’t use them during the journey. She could hardly keep awake as is.

When it came to leaving, Erend wished he could have brought the wagon directly into the house, though it was of course impossible. Instead he had to carry her out to it, not that she was fully conscious for it. She made a small groaning noise upon getting pick up, but her body was limp as he carried her outside and laid her down into the wagon, which he and Teersa had lined with furs to keep her comfortable.

Her fever had gotten worse. Teersa could hardly keep her awake long enough to coax her into drinking the Oseram brew that Erend had given to her the previous day. He worried that she wouldn’t make it to Meridian.

The wagon had been hooked to one of the Broadheads that he and the Vanguard had brought along. Though the Nora and Carja were still hesitant towards the machines, the Oseram had begun to show interest in the taming of them after the ending of the Derangement. It wasn’t hard to figure out that the machines worked similar to any other animal.

No one attempted to tame anything past Striders and Broadheads, though. Besides, there wasn’t much use for other machines; these particular two were convenient for travel only. Being inventors and metal workers, the Oseram had picked up the use of them quite quickly. It was one of the many things that Erend could be proud of his tribe for.

Now he was more than happy that he had been one of those who had taken after Aloy’s influence. The Broadhead would come into use indeed.

As they sat out towards Daytower, Erend let his mind wander back to the event that had led to the redhead’s injuries. He had been mulling over the fact that Aloy had been so scared, as it was so foreign to him. He had watched the girl fight every beast that had ever faced her and he had had the privilege to fight alongside her a few times. By far his memory of fighting a Deathbringer with her was his favorite.

To watch her cower before a new machine was… _unnerving_ , to say the least. The look on her face would forever be ingrained in his mind, like a nightmare that continued to terrorize him. He had seen many soldiers fall sick to their fears, yet Aloy should have been different. She was strong, capable, and so very stoic.

That was something he had always admired about her. She kept her calm even while facing certain doom. She’d crack jokes, say something sarcastic, shed a quick smile. During their last battle together, her eyes had been alight with a flame that had encouraged him to keep going. Try harder, be better.

Now that light was…dim. Like a candle that was flickering out, or perhaps like a machine’s last sparks before turning cold against the hard ground.

Perhaps she had internalized all of the things she had seen. All of the things she had _done_. Though she was compassionate, Aloy had also been forced into situations that had most likely left her scarred, seeing things she hadn’t wished to, doing things she hadn’t wanted to.

_People aren’t like steel,_ Ersa had once told him. _They can take a beating, sure, but eventually they break. And it ain’t pretty when they do._

He didn’t like to think that maybe Aloy was breaking down after all of this, yet it made sense. She had grown up in a secluded environment, used to limited interaction with people. She knew the harshness of machines and the unforgiving nature of their hunt, but likely little else.

Erend didn’t know much of her past, but he had asked Teersa about it while waiting for Aloy to wake. The old woman had seemed hesitant, but she had relented, giving him vague insight into what Aloy’s life had been like before her Proving. Suddenly her reaction to his foolish comments during their first meeting made sense.

Running his fingers through his hair, which he had been growing out somewhat, he glanced over to her sleeping form within the wagon. She slept on, her eyes sporting dark circles. Beads of sweat clung to her brow, her body slightly jostled with every movement of the wagon. He wished there weren’t so many bumps on the path.

Looking at her wasn’t going to help his stress, he knew. Yet continued to watch her as he sat atop her Strider, which he had only brought with them because he figured she would want her mount when she decided to return home. But perhaps he could convince her to stay in Meridian.

The thought brought frustration. No, that was a selfish thing to consider.

Finally tearing his gaze away, he forced himself to ride ahead, the trot of the Strider far different from his Broadhead. Lighter, smoother. Much like Aloy.

Fitting, he thought.

 

* * *

 

It was a two day trip to Daytower and the weather had decided to take a drastic turn as the first sunset had begun to fall. Droplets of rain fell from the sky, dampening their clothes and sliding down the metal of the machines. Erend worried that it would only worsen and he cursed to himself. He had been hoping to travel through the night, even if he and his men grew tired. He wanted to get to Meridian as soon as it was physically possible.

Aloy had stirred several times, perhaps jostled too many times to sleep through the pain. She had requested more of the Oseram medicine brew and he had given it to her, wondering if she even knew where she was. She was never awake long enough for him to know. It was best that she sleep through most of it anyway.

But as the rain began, Erend gave up hope that they could continue traveling through the night. As the moon crested the mountains, they stopped under a set of large maples, pitching tents and starting a fire.

His tent was the first to go up, so that Aloy could be taken out of the rain. She shivered violently as he lifted her from the wagon and carried her into the tent, where he carefully laid her atop a bed roll that had been laid out at the center of the tent.

She groaned as he set her down, her good hand coming up to slide her palm across her face. Eyes fluttering open, her gaze flickered around her surroundings. She made a confused sound, rolling her head to the side in order to look at Erend, eyebrows pinched together.

“Hey,” he said, softly. “We had to stop for the night.”

“S-stop?” she frowned, looking around her again. “This isn’t home.”

He chuckled. “No. We’re on our way to Meridian.” He mulled over his words. “So you can see a proper doctor.”

“A doctor?” she sounded only more confused than before. “I don’t need a doctor. I’m _fine._ ”

Erend, having previously been crouching, sat down on the ground beside her. “Aloy, you have poison going through your veins right now. You need proper medicine.”

She raised her good hand, weakly smacking his knee. “That’s rude.”

“What?” he asked, incredulous. “What’s rude?”

Giving a dull laugh, she rolled her head to the other side, looking away from him. “Whoever poisoned me. They’re rude.”

He raised his eyebrows, unsure how to respond to that. He parted his lips several times to speak, but nothing came. With a grunt, he finally just said, “I suppose that’s true.”

A moment of silence passed over them and he had assumed her to have fallen asleep once more, so he began to get up to leave, but her hand went out to grab the sleeve of his shirt. He returned his gaze to her and found her staring up at him with wide eyes.

“Don’t leave,” she pleaded. “I don’t want to be alone.”

He sat back down, pressing his lips into a thin line. She released his sleeve and laid her hand atop her belly. He watched her as she relaxed, turning her head to look up at the roof of the tent.

“Am I dying?” she asked after a few seconds, blinking slowly.

“Not on my watch,” he grumbled.

Aloy let her eyes flutter shut, swallowing thickly. “I feel like I’m dying.”

“I won’t allow it,” he repeated, insistent, though he kept his voice low.

She took in a shaky breath, the hand on her abdomen clenching into a fist. “Something is wrong,” she muttered. “Hade’s is dead, right? I killed him… What…what was that machine?”

He looked away, wondering the same. “I don’t know. It came out of nowhere. But it looked like the same kind of machine as a Corruptor.”

“Scarabs,” she breathed.

He just barely caught it. “What?”

She rolled her head to the side, looking up at him with a flickering gaze, her eyes unable to stay focused on anything in particular. “That’s what a Corruptor was called to the Old Ones. A Scarab.”

He nodded in understanding before offering her a smile. “You’ll have to tell me more about the Old Ones sometime. Not now, obviously, but later.”

She returned his smile, though it faltered after only a few seconds. “Erend,” she whispered. “What if there is no later?”

He huffed. “Aloy, you’re not going to die. I won’t let you.”

She reached out, brushing her knuckles against his hand, which rested on his knee. She blinked slowly, looking rather tired. She seemed to want to say something, but she opened and closed her mouth several times before finally saying, “Okay. I trust you.”

It was such a small comment, but it meant the world to Erend. It made a smile tug at his lips, his cheeks heating. He had plenty of people who trusted him, but hearing those words from _her_ somehow made them sound so much more meaningful.

He reached out, rubbing her shoulder. “Are you hungry?”

“I think.” She frowned.

“Let me get you some food while you’re awake, alright?” he offered, pulling away from her to stand. She let him go this time, giving a weak nod. He watched her for a moment before exiting the tent.

 

* * *

 

Sleeping within the same tent as Aloy was a struggle for Erend. Not just because she was so close, but because he could hear her whenever she was in pain. She’d gasp sometimes or make small distressed noises, her body shuddering. It kept him awake, despite his weak attempt at sleeping. He relished in the moments where Aloy’s breathing would turn gentle, when the pain eased up enough to give way to sleep. He would breathe a quiet sigh of relief, letting his eyes drift closed.

He had set up his bedroll as far from her as he could, to give her respectful space. He would have slept outside had it not been raining. He convinced himself that it was best to keep close, in case she needed anything.

He thought about how she’d need her bandage changed in the morning. Keeping the wound clean would be the best thing he could do, besides continuing to give her the Oseram medicine brew. Which he was quickly running out of.

If only they could travel faster. Perhaps there would be a doctor at Daytower that was skilled enough to take care of her wounds. Maybe they would have potions for the poison. Anything to ease her pain.

Dragging a palm down his face, he gave a sigh, tiredness seeping into his bones. He needed sleep, but the very idea of it made him feel uneasy. He didn’t want to be unconscious if Aloy needed anything.

He rolled his head to the side, looking over at her. He could just see the outline of her and the furs that covered her body. Her pain had seemed to become bearable for now, since she slept on with easy breaths. His chest ached and he wished it didn’t.

Erend knew he was helplessly in love with this girl.

It didn’t matter how many times he had tried to erase her from his mind. He had spent the past two years attempting to rid the thought of her, filling the void with other women and drink. Being the Captain of the Vanguard had its perks, but what he wanted was not something he could find from sex or drunkenness.

What he desired was laying six feet away from him, though his feelings for her had nothing to do with sexual desire or pleasure. Sure, he had thought of her once or twice, but what he wanted was so much more. He wanted to wake up beside her, to see her smiling face throughout the day, to have her as his own.

But over anything else, he wanted to see her happy and healthy. He desired that more than anything else. Perhaps that was why he had silently let her leave Meridian two years ago, without telling her how he felt towards her. He had his suspicions about her feeling for Varl and he had accepted that. After all, she wanted to return to her people.

He had almost expected to find her married or even engaged when he had arrived in Mother’s Heart, yet had been surprised to find instead that she had hidden herself away at her own home.

Blinking, he pulled himself away from that thought. He didn’t want to worry about how she might want to return after all of this. Maybe the simple life was what she had wanted after everything she had been through.

Erend turned his gaze away from her silhouette, decided that sleep would be better than dwelling on things he shouldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to make this chapter much longer, but I realized that the next scene would probably need its own chapter. So I cut it off here.  
> Sorry for all this mushiness. I promise there is more ACTUAL story to come and it isn't all about Aloy being injured, but I don't plan on rushing this. So get in for the long haul, guys!


	8. Chapter 8

Aloy woke not of her own will, but because of two very prominent things. First, there was loud snoring. Second, she had to pee. She forced her eyes open, squinting into the darkness. Her eyes adjusted to it quickly, though her headache threatened to make her work harder at sorting things out.

Instinctively, her hand went up to feel for her Focus, flicking it on. She turned her head towards the source of the snoring, finding that Erend was laying across from her. It shouldn’t have surprised her that he snored. He looked like someone who would snore in their sleep.

Not that she minded snoring, but it was very jarring to wake up to after a nightmare about rogue machines and red eyes that stared into her very soul.

She forced herself to sit, holding her side as she pressed her lips into a thin line, determined to not make any noise and wake Erend. She felt much more lucid than she had for the past day and a half. Perhaps it was the break in her fever or the remaining effects of the alcohol Erend kept giving her.

Getting onto her knees, she focused on standing, her head spinning momentarily as she adjusted to the feeling of being upright. Her legs felt weak when she finally stood on them, shaky beneath her like branches in the wind.

She released a small breath, holding her broken arm to her chest as she stepped forward, pushing the tent flap aside. She walked out into the cool early morning air, finding that the sun wouldn’t be up for a couple more hours.

All of the men were asleep, her Focus informed her by scanning the camp. She gave a sigh of relief and began away from the camp, examining her surroundings. Judging by the trees around her and the mountains to her left, they were nearing Daytower.

She hated that Erend and the Vanguard were having to do this for her. She felt so very small and weak. She _hated_ it.

Aloy walked further away from the camp, her bare feet pressing into the dewy grass. She had to pause several times, breaking out into a sweat just from this small act of walking. She leaned against a tree, holding herself up as the world spun. When it relented, she began walking again.

_This is good for me,_ she told herself. _Walking will help. Laying around will just make me weaker_.

After walking a decent pace away from the camp, she finally was able to relieve herself. Once she finished, she began back towards the camp, her head aching enough for her to miss the act of sleeping.

However, the sound of a twig snapping had her pausing. She stood still, knowing that she was far enough away from the camp for the noise to have not come from there. Nor any of the guards, though she almost hoped that maybe it _was_ one of the guards.

She knew, however, that it wasn’t. Nor was it the sound of an animal passing by, or a machine. She would have heard a machine, with their loud stomps and their inability to hide – save for Stalkers.

Reaching up, ever so slowly, she flicked on her Focus. Her state of unhealth, however, had hindered her ability to pick up things sooner – like the sound of bandits approaching her.

Before she could react to the one she had scanned within the bushes a few feet from her, she felt hands grab at her sides, causing her to cry out before a blade was pressed to her throat. She expected the bandit to instantly slice open her throat, yet they did no such thing.

However, a hand clamped over her mouth, the bandit pulling the knife from her neck to instead grab her arms, pulling them behind her back. She winced, making a small pained sound at the mistreatment of her broken arm. She was forced onto her knees.

She watched, dizzily, as more bandits headed towards the camp. With how silently they moved, she was unsure if the Vanguard would wake before they were killed in their sleep. She thought of Erend’s sleeping form in the tent, how he carelessly snored.

She had to get their attention.

Quickly, she made note of her surroundings. There were several broken branches and rocks laying around her and only one other bandit stayed with the one holding her. Her head seemed to clear upon the need to escape, though the pain of her wounds still very much raged on. There wasn’t time for that, though.

Yanking her arm out of the bandit’s grip, she slammed it into his groin, causing him to double over, his hand loosening on her other arm and her mouth. Scrambling, she grabbed one of the fallen branches. Having not quite made it to her feet yet, she turned at the waist and brought the branch down onto the bandit’s head, the wood snapping at the force.

When he fell, she dove for the spear on his back. The second bandit went at her in the same instance. He grabbed her by the hair, yanking her forward, hoping to get her off her feet, but she had already grabbed the spear.

Gripping it close to the blade, she used the short distance to dive it into the bandit’s belly, listen to them as they gagged at the pain. Shoving him back, she tipped backwards from the momentum, falling onto her back.

The fall took away her breath, her side flaring up with pain that was nearly too much to handle. She pushed past it, rolling onto her belly in order to get up onto her knees. She knew she had hardly any time to rush back to the camp and there was no way she would have been able to put up much of a fight once she was there.

So despite her pride, Aloy shouted Erend’s name as loud as she could, the sound echoing through the trees. She collapsed again, clutching to her side, gasping for breath. Even shouting was too painful.

The first bandit had come out of his stupor of momentarily being knocked out, a growl emitting from his throat before he came at Aloy. She wasn’t exactly prepared for it, but she did not hesitate in rolling onto her back as he ran at her. At the last second, she brought her legs up before kicking them forward, slamming her feet into the man’s pelvis.

The best defense against men, she thought, was to just keep hitting them below the belt.

She forced herself to pull the spear up with both hands, thrusting the blade into the man. It sank into his abdomen, pushed further inward when he fell forward. His eyes connected with hers and she felt her chest tighten, staring back up at him with her own wide eyes.

Rolling away, she let him fall to the ground, the spear pressed underneath him. There was no getting it back, she realized. She didn’t have the strength to pull it out from beneath him.

Sounds of shouts and fighting could be heard from the camp now. She found an odd familiarity with the relief that passed through her at that sound. Erend and his Vanguard were more than capable to take on a few bandits once awake.

Pushing herself up off the ground, she swayed on her feet. This time she did not hesitate to turn on her Focus, searching for any more potential enemies. She found the only commotion to come from the camp. However, she _did_ find that the second bandit had also had a spear. She scooped it up, using it as a walking staff rather than its intended purpose.

She tried to carry herself forward as fast as her feet and spinning head would allow. Her Focus stayed on, allowing her to scan the area. She wasn’t that far from the camp now and she saw a figure running from it.

It wasn’t one of the bandits, however. Her Focus told her it was Erend just as he shouted out her name. She glanced back towards the camp, watching as one of the men took down the last bandit.

She called out Erend’s name in return, feeling safe enough to give away her whereabouts. She walked towards the direction in which Erend was coming, pausing and turning off her Focus as he got close.

“Aloy,” he panted with breath when he saw her, looking overly relieved to see that she was alright. He was quick to approached her, holding out his arms slightly. She thought that perhaps he was going to hug her, which would have been odd from him, but instead he scooped her up into his arms.

A surprised yelp escaped her lips and she accidentally dropped the spear, hearing it clatter onto the ground. “Erend-” she began, but he cut her off.

“You shouldn’t be up walking, let alone fighting,” he huffed, sounding upset now, carrying her towards the camp. Not worried upset, but angry. She didn’t like that.

“I was –”

He cut her off again. “You could have made your wounds worse! You’re already bad enough as is!”

That made her upset. Her brow tugged into a frown, a sneer reaching her lips. “Well I didn’t see any other -”

Again, he interrupted her. “What were you even _doing_ up?”

Now she was furious. She wasn’t some child who had misbehaved and she didn’t like being treated as such. Especially when her reason for getting up was because she was _human_ with _human_ functions. Was she _supposed_ to just lie there and continue to be sick and ignore it?

“I don’t need your permission to take a god damn piss, Erend!” she snapped, wishing that he was not carrying her right now. For the first time in what felt like forever, she wanted him to do anything but touch her.

He seemed shaken by her words and she hoped he felt stupid for being upset with her. It wasn’t her fault that bandits had shown up and it certainly wasn’t her fault that she got attacked. She had handled it, though, and he should have respected that.

“You should have stayed closer to camp,” he finally growled out, only furthering her anger.

But her aches and pains were beginning to become worse than the anger. Her fever had resurfaced, her headache becoming nearly unbearable. She _wanted_ to snap his head off, yet that became a more difficult task to force.

“Fuck you,” she grumbled instead.

He only huffed, seeming to keep the rest of his anger silent towards her for now. Carrying her back into the camp, he barked orders for his men to pack camp and get ready to head out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this chapter out before I went to bed, so if there is typos, I apologize. I'll probs fix them later. :P  
> Anyway, angst! Oh how I love angst.  
> Also!! I'm changing the rating to Mature for future scenes I'm planning.


	9. Chapter 9

Aloy was more awake the second day of their travel, and perhaps this was how she was able to stay angry with Erend. The two didn’t speak, Erend giving Aloy her space as she fumed in the wagon. She still had trouble sitting up and that only upset her more. She was grumpier than she had been in years. It was an almost refreshing, yet frustrating, change.

This was not the first time she had been angry with a man, but being upset with Erend was something entirely different. In all the time that she had known him, she had never had him lash out at her or treat her in any negative manner. It didn’t matter that he had done it through worry, it was still wrong of him, she decided.

Aloy had never sat back and allowed someone to talk down to her, be it a bandit or king. She had always stood her ground, most likely spewing a stream of sarcastic and well placed insults. She wasn’t afraid to bring a man down a peg or two.

She almost wanted to walk instead of sitting in the wagon, if only to spite him. But harming herself out of pettiness was not the brightest idea she had had. It was sounding more and more appealing, however.

Around noon, after they had traveled nearly thirteen miles, they stopped to eat. Aloy took this time to force herself into walking around, shooting glares at Erend when he seemed that he wanted to protest.

As a fire was made to cook the meat from freshly hunted boar and turkey, Aloy sat down beside it, next to one of the Vanguard men. He looked over at her questionably, but didn’t say anything.

He didn’t look much older than her, perhaps being even younger than her. He didn’t sport a single sign of stubble, his face soft. He must have been new to the Vanguard, she realized. He was definitely Carja, with the deep tan of his skin and the tattoos under his eyes. They were faint, hardly noticeable.

“Hi,” she murmured, trying to not blatantly stare at him. She wasn’t particularly good at people skills, but she wanted to at least try to get to know some of the men that were surrounding her.

When the man opened his mouth, however, Aloy realized quickly that he wasn’t a man at all. “How are you feeling?” her voice was gentle, much softer than Aloy had expected.

It nearly startled her. “I, um… I feel like a sparking machine, to be honest. But it’s not as bad.”

The Vanguard _woman_ nodded her head, turning her gaze towards the fire. She had her knees pulled up, her arms draped lazily over them. She was playing with a blade of grace between her fingers. “That’s good. We’re not too far away from Daytower now. We should be there before nightfall.”

She was impressed with how the woman didn’t seem to treat her as anything more than another person. There was no sudden jolt of ‘ _oh, ma’am, how can I be of service?_ ’ Instead she looked just as bored as Aloy felt tired.

“What’s your name?” she asked, wanting to know more about the only woman she had found here.

“Aneta,” the woman said, glancing over and finally giving Aloy a soft smile. She had a slight accented lilt to her voice when she spoke her own name.

Aloy nodded, looking back towards the fire. “Have you been in the Vanguard for a while?” She was terrible at small talk, but she was good at asking questions. Always had been.

Aneta seemed to hesitate then, tearing the blade of grass in half, though slowly, as if she were putting all of her focus there. “Uh, no. I’ve only been with the Vanguard for a little bit. A couple of months, really.” She paused for a moment. “I used to be Shadow Carja. Before the last war with Meridian.”

Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Aloy looked over at the woman. She had never actually talked with anyone from the Shadow Carja. They had always been too busy attacking her. “What made you join the Vanguard then?”

Aneta laughed. “My father was the reason for my being part of the Shadow Carja. I never exactly agreed with any of it. When Helis was defeated and Itamen and his mother were returned to Meridian, it was a relief for a lot of us who disagreed with the way things were.”

Come to think of it, Aloy had never considered that there might have been people trapped within the Shadow Carja against their will – save for the child king and his mother. She hadn’t thought much of how children might have begun to question their parents’ beliefs. Granted, she should have considered this.

“I joined the Vanguard to rectify everything that my father had done. He was part of the Eclipse, more specifically.” The woman shifted uncomfortably. “Just, uh, thought that maybe you should know, since I don’t need one of these assholes mentioning it before I can explain myself.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself,” Aloy was quick to say, sure of this. “You shouldn’t have to hold the fault of your parents.”

Aneta shrugged, seeming indifferent once more. “It’s the least I can do, really. I was always good at fighting; why not use it for good.” She shot Aloy a sly smirk.

Returning her smile, Aloy felt herself relax in the woman’s presence, finding that she entirely did not mind that Aneta had once been part of an enemy force. People could change, she reminded herself.

“You know, at this rate, you might be fine before we even reach Meridian,” Aneta said after a few moments of fire, the two of them watching as Erend got into a bought of jesting with two of the other Vanguard men.

Aloy nodded, agreeing full heartedly. “I just needed a couple of days to rest up,” she muttered. “Not sure why Erend freaked out and decided to kidnap me.”

Barking a laugh, Aneta looked over at the redhead. “Kidnap you? Is that what happened? I was pretty sure you had been dying. You took a mighty beating by that machine. I was the one to pull you out of there.”

Aloy turned to look at the woman, surprise flickering across her features. “Oh, I hadn’t known.”

Aneta shrugged. “You were kinda passed the fuck out. Had a hole in you and stuff.”

The redhead snorted, rolling her eyes. “I was surprised, that’s all.” She tried to make it seem like a joke, to save her pride. She didn’t want to think about how terrified Aneta had seen her – how the woman had pulled her away from the fight as she had freaked out within her arms.

“Sure,” Aneta snickered, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You keep telling yourself that. Wouldn’t want to soil the great Huntress’s image.”

Aloy couldn’t help the smile that pulled at her own lips. “Thanks. For that, and for saving me.” It was such an odd thing, to thank someone for that. There hadn’t been many times she had been saved by someone and certain from nothing like that.

Even while in the ring of Sunfell, she had defeated the Behemoth before Sylens had broken through the wall to fetch her. He hadn’t exactly _saved_ her.

Somehow it felt better that she had been saved by a woman, rather than a man. She could keep a little more of her pride.

Aneta clapped a gloved hand atop Aloy’s shoulder. “Hey, I’d expect you to save my ass now. If the chance ever arises.” She winked to the redhead and Aloy grinned.

“Right,” she agreed.

 

* * *

 

As Aneta had promised, they made it to Daytower before nightfall. As they entered the small town, if one could call it that, Aloy was reminded how much she disliked the desert. Passing through the gate seemed to take her into a whole new world, one she hadn’t seen for two years. It was once again new, but she found that she still disliked the dry heat and the orange dirt that covered _everything_. Oh, and the Glinthawks. She could already see them in the sky and a familiar distaste arose for the metal birds.

Too many bad memories of the stupid things coming out of nowhere to attack her while she was simply just _walking_ along the desert roads. There had been no god damn reason for it, other than outright hostility. She knew that it was the Derangement, but she still didn’t trust the things.

Upon seeing them, however, she realized that she missed Chirps. Perhaps she’d call for him with her Focus once they had settled into a place for a decent amount of time. With traveling, she doubted the small machine could catch up to them.

Her anger towards Erend had faded quite a bit after having talked to Aneta. Maybe it was just talking to another person, outside of him, that had helped. Oh, and the pain of her wounds had taken away the rest of her frustrated towards the man, instead putting that frustration on the fact that she could hardly stand again.

She hated how it faded in and out, as if she was reinjuring herself constantly. She was probably agitating the wound every time she got up or walked around, but she refused to just sit there and let herself look weak.

When they came into Daytower, Erend almost instantly went off to find out if there were any doctors or medics in the area. Aloy had resisted the urge to sigh loudly, though she knew she needed the medical help.

To keep herself from looking like a wounded animal, she had gotten herself to get out of the wagon, walking up to her Strider, which she was overly relieved to find that Erend had brought it. She leaned against the beast, stroking its neck while she received odd looks from the Vanguard and some of the people roaming about Daytower.

She didn’t care. She was far too fond of this particular Strider, much like how she was fond of Chirps. She had even named this beast as well; Fanas.

She had convinced herself that machines liked to be pet. Well, they could _feel_ things _,_ after all. Not emotions, but by touch. Fanas seemed to like being pet. He made little noises that sounded like he was happy. At least, she thought so.

Aloy stood there for some time, using Fanas for support as the Vanguard began to meander around, some of them buying things from traders. Aneta stayed close and Aloy knew that the woman was watching after her until Erend returned.

When he did return, he had relief on his features, jogging over to Aneta and Aloy. “They have a doctor here,” he told them, though he was speaking mostly to the redhead.

“Oh good,” Aloy pried herself away from the warm metal of her Strider, indents having sunk into her skin where it was exposed. She looked forward to possibly being able to change her clothes and have her side re-bandaged. “Lead the way.”

Erend hesitated, as if he wanted to help her, but she forced herself to stand as confidently as she could. Aneta appeared beside her, offering Aloy her spear, which the redhead hadn’t realized had been brought along on their journey.

The feeling of the familiar wood against her skin brought more sureness to her stance, a confidence that she hadn’t felt in nearly two days.

Though still unsure, Erend sighed and waved his hand for her to follow. However, he kept by her side as they walked, his body far too close to her, as if he wanted to make sure to catch her if she fell.

“I, uh, wanted to apologize for this morning,” he said after a moment, his cheeks tinting a soft pink. “I shouldn’t have gotten angry at you.”

Aloy wasn’t ready to let it go that easily. “I can take care of myself, Erend. I’m not some helpless child.” She sniffed indignantly, holding her head high.

Erend grumbled to himself before stating, perhaps a little too loudly, “I know. But you’re hurt and I really don’t want you getting worse.”

“I’m doing pretty well right now,” she shot back, refusing to look at him. She still sounded irritated.

He seemed to take back his apology. “You’re impossible sometimes.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, let me just turn into a defenseless girl that you can save, Erend. Is that what you want?”

“No,” he snapped. “I just want you to be more careful.”

She shot him a glare. “I am careful-”

He quickly cut her off. “No, you’re _reckless._ You may be a skilled hunter and machine tamer, Aloy, but I’ve seen how you just rush into fights.”

“And the once time I _didn’t_ ,” Aloy growled out, sharply gesturing to herself. “This happens.”

That shut him up and she was glad for it. She no longer wanted to talk to him. She turned her gaze away, a scowling set into her features. She almost felt bad when they reached the tent that the doctor sat under, the man’s features turning into fear upon seeing her angry expression.

Of course the man recognized her, and knew full well that being on her bad side was a death wish in itself. Aloy tried softening her features, but was too grumpy to do so. The man asked her to sit on a cot and she didn’t catch his name when he said it, instead just turning another glare at Erend.

The captain face only scrunched up in his own frustration. “I’ll let you be then.”

“Good,” she snapped back. She watched him turn and leave, storming off. Bitterly she thought, _he’s probably going to go drink himself into a stupor. Fine._

She turned her attention to the doctor as he began to ask her questions about her injuries. Best to just ignore her current irritated with Erend and focus on what they came here for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Aloy WOULD have gotten a confession had she not gotten petty.
> 
> Also, really wanted Aloy to have someone other than Erend to talk to during their journey, so I introduced Aneta. She's probably not going to be a super big character in all of this, but she's here for conversation for now.


	10. Chapter 10

Daytower had an inn for travelers that passed through. It wasn’t like the fancy ones in Meridian, with their own tubs and lavish beds, laid out with far too many pillows. But the walls were still hard stone, to protect against the wild windstorms, and there were beds that sat up off the floor, which sounded pretty good to Aloy.

Being the savior of the world had its perks, but it seemed being captain of the Vanguard also had its own upsides. Erend was able to get several rooms within the inn, free of charge. There were not many rooms, but most of the men seemed perfectly happy to share in the communal rooms, opposed the quiet private rooms that rested on the second story.

Aloy had no objections when she received a private room. If anything, she was beyond thankful that she wouldn’t have to share a room with anyone. She could sleep in peace and without the noise of the Vanguard.

She was quick to resign herself to her room, after eating a meal at the inn’s bar with the rest of the Vanguard. She had sat next to Aneta, who had shared great hunting and battle tales with the other men. There was hearty laughter and Aloy listened intently to each story that went around, every man getting a chance to share his own. She laughed along with some of them, but was all too happy when she finally finished her meal and was able to escape upon the first pause in conversation.

Aneta and some of the other men bid her a goodnight and she returned the farewell before making her way out of the bar and up the stairs that led to the second story. It was difficult with how tired she was, but the doctor she had seen had given her medicinal herbs that helped ease the pain. For the first time in two day, her headache was gone and she could think clearly.

Once within her room, she locked the door and trailed over to her bed. It looked so inviting and she found herself giving a wanting sigh. Sitting down on the edge of it, she slipped out of her boots, plopping them onto the floor before unfastening the laces of her trousers to slide them down her legs, singlehandedly. She couldn’t wait for her arm to heal up. Currently it was in a sling and she hated it.

She left on her shirt because of said sling, and laid down atop the blankets, the room far too hot to even consider pulling them over her. Her eyes fluttered shut as she relaxed against the soft mattress. She hadn’t slept during their trip today and now she felt the tiredness seep into her bones, allowing her to drift off into a heavy slumber.

 

* * *

 

It had to have been far into the evening when a knock came to her door. It had her eyes flying open, her body stiffening momentarily before she realized what the sound was. Still half asleep, she pulled herself out of bed, attempting to rub the sleep from her eyes with her fingers.

She slid the lock free and pulled the door open, frowning when she saw Erend standing there. What did he want? He looked drunk.

Her thoughts were confirmed when he leaned up against the doorframe, his voice heavy, slightly slurred. “Aloy,” he said. “I want to apologize for today. Can I come in?”

She decided to listen to him this time, though she gave a small sigh. Backing away from the door, she allowed him inside, watching as he shut the door behind him.

He was wearing a simple tunic, opposed to his armor. She always forgot that he had a strong build underneath said armor. He was bulky, his shoulders and chest wide, waist stocky. She could see the muscles of his chest through his shirt and she had to tear her gaze away.

“I guess I should apologize too,” she muttered.

Erend stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t need to. You were right. I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

“But I shouldn’t have ignored your previous apology. I was just so mad and… I should have realized that I just worried you.” She looked up at him, her skin tingling at his touch. Her stomach did somersaults, her eyes flickering across his face.

He moved closer, so very close to her now. She could feel his warmth radiating from him and she suddenly wanted to close the distance between them. He seemed to read her mind, because he slid his fingers up her shoulder and along her throat, settling his hand at the back of her neck. His other hand went to her waist, pulling her forward.

She felt her breath hitch as he held her body close to his and let her eyes flutter shut as his lips pressed against hers. Her eyebrows pinched together, her hands going up to cup his cheeks, a silent plea in the way that she moved her lips against his.

He replied with a hunger that had her trembling, finding it difficult to stand. He seemed to read her mind again, backing her up against the bed. They fell down atop it and she let out a small ‘ _oof_ ’ in surprise. But his lips were back on hers and she didn’t care if their fall had been clumsy. She felt him press his body against her and she found that he felt a lot lighter than she had expected, which was odd, in her opinion.

When he pulled his lips back just slightly, she chased him, insistent. She couldn’t get him to kiss her hard enough, but his hands roamed her body and she felt a shiver run up her spine. She realized, suddenly, that she could taste the alcohol on his lips and nervousness settled into her chest, heart pounding anxiously.

“Erend,” she said against his lips, placing her hands at his shoulders. “Wait. You’re drunk” She didn’t want her first time to be with someone whose mind was clouded with alcohol. She didn’t want to sleep with someone who might not be careful with her. She was strong, but she wasn’t sure how any of this worked.

He tugged at the waistband of her underwear and she let out a growl of annoyance. He wasn’t listening to her. His lips went to her throat, pressing her down against the bed.

“You’re drunk,” she repeated, her teeth grit as she stared up at the ceiling. She wasn’t sure why she suddenly couldn’t make herself look at him, as if her body was stuck there. “Erend, I’m telling you to stop.”

His fingers dragged down her thighs and she found them far too sharp, cold. His fingers bit into her skin, like metallic claws and she cried out in panic, finally able to jerk her head down to look at him.

What she found in front of her was not Erend. A machine had taken his place, resembling a Metal Devil, but far smaller. It’s tentacle-like appendages slid down her thighs, the sharp ends raking across her skin and drawing blood. One of the tentacles twisted around her leg and she screamed, the metal biting painfully into her flesh.

She gripped at the bed, attempting to pull herself away from the machine. But the machine reared its head up, getting closer to her, red eye staring at her with a type of malice that had her heart nearly stopping in her chest.

“You will never escape,” came the metallic voice of Hades. He only got closer, his ‘face’ mere inches from hers. One of his metal tentacles pressed against her throat and she felt herself choke at the pressure. “You will die.”

She couldn’t make herself scream, her fingers clawing at his metal surface, attempting to push him away. It did little use as he thrust one of his sharp arms through her stomach, twisting hid claws into her insides, in her intestines. He ripped them out of her belly and she watched in horror, staring as they glistened all sorts of colors, like a freshly butchered boar. She felt the tug as he ripped them away from her and she had never screamed so loud.

 

* * *

 

Aloy lurched up in bed, the scream making it past her nightmare and into the real world. It took her several gasping and sobbing moments before she realized she was alone in her room, her body trembling violently as the urge to vomit pressed at her stomach.

Her hand instantly went to her belly, grabbing at the flat muscle there, checking herself to make sure she didn’t have a gaping hole there.

Just a nightmare, she had to tell herself, but she couldn’t make herself stop crying. She weakly attempted to wipe the tears away from her eyes, yet more kept coming. They fell down her cheeks and dampened her face, making her feel worse.

A serious of loud knocks sounded at her door and she jumped, releasing a yelp. She didn’t have time to say or do anything before her door was kicked in, causing her to release another scream, though this one was much shorter and quieter than the one before.

Erend burst into the room, hammer drawn as he wildly looked around her room for whatever had made her scream, but when he found nothing, he turned confused eyes on her, though worry quickly replaced the expression.

She looked at the broken door, wide eyed, before looking at him, tears still running down her face. She wasn’t sure what to say, having not expected him to break into her room. She must have scared him, and whoever else was around to hear her scream. She felt shame build in her chest.

Erend, however, carefully approached her bed, holding a hand out as if she were a skittish animal. “Hey, are you okay?”

Aloy hiccupped a small sob, reaching up to furiously wipe at her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, trembling.

“No, it’s okay,” he promised, setting his hammer down to approach her more. She didn’t like how timid he seemed, as if she might snap at him or try to kill him on the spot. He slowly sat down beside her, the bed creaking underneath his weight. “What happened?”

His voice was so gentle. She had never heard it so gentle before. She fell into more sobs, wishing she could cover her face in shame. She didn’t want to be seen like this. She had never broken down into tears like this, not since she was very young, anyway. As an adult? Never.

Erend reached out to place a hand on her, but she flinched away from him, still remembering how he had been in her dream, how he had been replaced by Hades. Her mind must have truly hated her to do something so cruel.

“Aloy, was it a nightmare? It’s okay if you’re scared.” He retracted his hand, not wanting to further upset her.

She went to shake her head, hoping to save some of her pride, but instead ended up nodding. Maybe she could be honest with him. She couldn’t let herself tell him what the dream was about, of course, without outing herself. She didn’t need to let him know that she had feelings for him. Not like this.

However, Erend didn’t ask for details, instead he held his arms out to her, offering. He let her make the decision on whether or not she wanted to come closer. And she did. She crawled over to him, closing the distance between them, and let him hug her. To hold her as she cried.

Somehow, that seemed to help her more than she thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, look at that, Erend. Can't even sleep with the girl of your dreams without turning into a metal spooder beast. Good job there, buddy.


	11. Chapter 11

Erend ended up staying in Aloy’s room, mostly because the redhead was hardly stable to be alone and secondly because her lock and doorknob was busted. He would not have felt safe leaving her in her room without a lock, not that he thought she couldn’t take care of herself. He knew she could, even if he had had that moment of panic after the bandits.

She was doing far better in terms of physically recovering, but not he worried about her mental state. He had seen plenty of soldiers fall prey to their inner demons, but he had never seen someone as scared as Aloy had been. There had been a wild look in her eyes, as if any movement would have caused her to only become worse.

He didn’t like seeing Aloy like that. It made his chest tight and a new found frustration to come to light. Hades had done this to her. He still didn’t know the full extent of Aloy’s past journey, but he knew that it had taken her months and she had gone through many things during that time. He knew she had cleared numerous bandit camps and had helped countless people. She was known for the things she had done.

But no one ever asked how she was doing, how she was able to cope with everything that was happening. Now Erend understood how much all of that had affected her. Especially what she had seen in the old Ruins, whatever it was that she had seen. She had never discussed in depth about anything she had discover about the Old Ones, other than that she had to defeat Hades and they had given her the ability to do that.

He _wished_ he knew more about her past, but he was too nervous to ask her.

Erend had offered to sleep on the floor, but Aloy only shook her head, her eyes and nose still red from crying. His tunic was stained with her tears, near the collar, where her face had pressed against his collarbone.

He was hesitant when she spoke quietly, looking up at him in the dark of the room. “The bed is big enough for the both of us.” She said it so shyly, as if the offer was as taboo to her as it was to him. He blinked several times, having to process it.

She tore her gaze away from him, realizing that she was staring. He felt a little better about not being under her heavy gaze, which always made feel as if he was under scrutiny. He almost felt as if she could see right through him, the more time they spent together. Maybe one day she would not find what she wanted.

He seemed to stand there for a long time, leaving the room in awkward silence until Aloy started to fidget, playing with the hem of her shirt. She didn’t seem to mind being around him in only a pair of shorts-like underwear and a loose tunic that exposed the shoulder of her wounded arm.

Erend had to keep his eyes off of her, in fear that he would look down, let his gaze take in the smooth and milky expanse of her thighs. He would want to touch her then, to feel her skin against his palms. The last thing he wanted to do, however, was make her uncomfortable. So he kept himself from looking at her, instead looking everywhere else.

“You’re right, it’s a bad idea,” she muttered after a moment, tired of sitting in silence while he mulled over her words. She glanced back up at him, but didn’t keep her eyes on him for very long.

“I didn’t say anything,” he said, taken aback.

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line, nodding carefully. “Yeah, you didn’t have to.”

“It’s just that,” Erend began, stumbling lamely over his words. “I know we’re friends, but you’re so… you know...”

She looked at him, really looked at him. Their eyes met and he wished they hadn’t. She seemed to look into his very being, plucking at the strings that barely held him together, the ones that kept him from leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

“No,” she said, voice weak, stuffy from crying. “I don’t know. I never know, Erend. I just don’t want to be alone.”

He paused for another several seconds before tearing his gaze from her, nodding. “Okay,” he breathed. “I’ll stay.”

Aloy seemed pleased with this, a small smile tugging at her lips. She scooted up to the head of the bed, using her feet to kicked down the blankets, giving ample space for Erend to lay down beside her.

Hesitantly, he moved to the other side of the bed, sitting on the edge to pull his boots off. He heard and felt her shift on the bed, shimmying down until she was laying on her back underneath the covers. He laid down next to her then, keeping the blankets underneath him as he folded his hands atop his abdomen.

It was hard to think when she was this close, especially after he had been holding her only minutes before. He wanted to hold her some more, yet resisted the urge. He couldn’t, he told himself, she didn’t need to be held right now.

They laid there in silence for a long time and he had assumed her to have fallen asleep. He stared up at the ceiling, both wishing that morning came soon and that it never came. He wanted to lay by her side forever, but he also didn’t want to deal with his need to turn and bury his face in her hair, to smell that floral, smoky, wild scent that was all her own. He didn’t want to deal with his need to run his fingertips along her jaw, to hold her close until he could hear her heartbeat thrum alongside hers.

 _You’re such a damn sap_ , Ersa would have laughed. She would have been right.

His thoughts were torn away from him as Aloy shifted, turning onto her side to grab hold of his arm. She pulled his hand from atop his belly, holding it against her body as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. He could feel his knuckles brush against her thighs and it brought on a whole new set of sensations to spark through his body.

He wasn’t sure if she was asleep or awake, but she had to have been awake, right? He didn’t think Aloy was one to snuggle in her sleep, not with how possessively she had taken his arm.

When she spoke, it nearly startled him. “You aren’t tired?” she asked, her voice quiet, as if she needed to whisper within the still room.

He shifted slightly, awkwardly clearing his throat. “No,” he said, just as quiet. “I wasn’t that tired before, either.”

“Yeah,” she breathed. “I don’t think I can sleep again.”

Turning his head, he allowed his chin to bump against the top of her head. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

She hesitated for a very long time. “No. I don’t.”

He nodded, letting it be for now. He didn’t want to pressure her into something she didn’t want to do, especially when it involved something that caused her so much fear. He still felt his heart flutter in his chest with her so close, her wild locks of red hair tickling his face.

“I’ll be here, if you want to try to sleep,” he whispered, letting his own eyes flutter shut. “You don’t have to worry about anything.”

She nodded, hugging his bicep tighter to her chest. “I know, but I still don’t think I could sleep.”

He had to turn his face away from her, if only to regain some of his slipping composure. Fighting the urge to turn onto his side and pull her into his arms was becoming more and more difficult.

“Well, we can always try,” he offered, giving an uneasy chuckle.

She sighed, the sound gentle, yet sad. “Yeah, I guess.”

There was a long moment of silence between them and Erend admired how soft she felt against him, how her chest pressed against his bicep, the soft give of it. Her breath was hot against his shoulder, even through the sleeve of his shirt.

“What was it like growing up as an Oseram?” she surprised him by asking, once against breaking the silence. “The culture always seemed really interesting to me. I spent some time helping out at Pitch Cliff and I always wondered what it would have been like to grow up in a tribe like that.”

“Ah, so that’s how you had met Petra,” Erend chuckled. He hadn’t expected her to ask anything like this, but he was more than happy to tell her whatever she might want to know. “Ersa and I grew up in a place that doesn’t exist anymore. It was destroyed during the Red Raids. But we lived in a village that was much larger than Pitch Cliff.”

“Pitch Cliff _is_ pretty small,” Aloy agreed in a hum.

He chuckled again, turning his head to press his chin atop her head. “We Oseram are crafters and metalworkers, as you could probably tell.”

She snickered against his shoulder, catching the small lilt in his voice. “Oh really? I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Ersa and I grew up in a forge. We’d been raised to work with metal since we were really young. Most Oseram children are taught to use the forge as soon as they can lift a hammer.” Experimentally, he reached up, running his fingers through a lock of her red hair. He marveled at the softness. “I always had a thing for making big and heavy weapons, mostly war hammers – like the one I have – and different types of axes. I’ve made a few spears, too, but they’re such _dainty_ little weapons.”

At this she punched him in the ribs, bringing a ‘oof’ from him before he broke into quiet laughter. She joined him, her voice teasing when she spoke, “I could still kick your ass with my _dainty_ spear. Try me.”

“I know,” he said, a smile still at his lips. He continued to play with her lock of hair, finding himself mesmerized with the texture of the strands between his fingers.

“What else have you made before? I didn’t know you had worked in the forge as well.” Aloy let him play with her hair, lying beside him in what seemed like content.

Erend hummed. “Armor. I’ve made chainmail before, but it takes too much time. I prefer hard leather and metal that I can quickly bash into the shape I need it to be. I suppose growing up as an Oseram is sort of like growing up as a Nora; we both rely heavily on the ability to fight. But while the Nora tend to be stealthy hunters, we Oseram are very-”

“In your face about everything,” Aloy finished for him, though that wouldn’t have been his choice of words. Still, he laughed at the obviously playful jab.

“I guess that’s fair.” He grinned before burying his face in her hair, uncaring that she might find it strange. He had grown too comfortable with her presence, finding himself acting upon impulse. “We’re just not afraid to throw ourselves into the face of battle. But maybe that’s because we’ve been hit one too many times in the head.”

Aloy giggled, reaching her arm over him to drape it across his waist. He found the gesture to be far more comfortable than he would have thought. It was almost as if their proximity had granted them some sort of agreement, allowing them to share in innocent touches and affection. Erend worried he might melt.

“You know,” she mused. “I kind of like that about your tribe. You don’t hide anything in hushed whispers and bad omens. You throw everything out in the open and tell anyone to fight you if they disagree. It’s honorable, in my opinion.”

He was happy to hear that, his cheeks warming as a smile tugged at his lips. “Truth be told, I always thought you were more Oseram than Nora. You’re not as quiet as them. Well, maybe in stealth, but you can pack a punch with your words.”

She tilted her head up, her chin pressing against the top of his shoulder, forehead bumping his. “And it’s never bitten me in the ass,” she teased.

The mental image of biting her backside came into his mind and he instantly wished it would go away. That was... _not_ what he wanted to think about right now. That was probably the worst thing he had ever thought up about her before, which only made his cheeks burn hot.

He cleared his throat, turning his head away from her as he tried to compose himself. “Th-that’s good. You’re really good at getting out of bad situations, though.”

“And getting back _into_ them,” she hummed, seeming unbothered with him pulling away. Her fingers pressed into his side, hugging him to her. He found that his fingers still laid in her hair, fingertips just barely brushing her jaw. She only leaned closer, whispering, “Erend…”

“Yes?” he wanted to turn his had so bad, to look into her eyes in hopes of reading what she might be thinking. He was shocked, however, when he felt her lean up, planting her lips against his cheek, just over his beard.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his skin, breath hot. “For staying here with me tonight.”

He laid perfectly still for a few seconds, even after she laid back down, feeling the burn of her kiss against his cheek, as if it had branded him. He felt as if his heart could not beat any faster. All of his resolve had left him, leaving him without words.

Instead, he turned, hovering over her as he cupped her cheek. He gazed down at her for a moment, catching her own wide eyed gaze, before he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. It was gentle, as if he was afraid to break her. Her lips were hot against his and he relished in the sensation.

With her good hand, she gripped his side, quickly returning his kiss. But he pulled away before the two of them could fully delve further into such actions, instead gazing down at her with adoration. His thumb brushed across her freckled cheek.

She seemed confused as to why he had stopped, yet Erend was all too aware as to why he had. She had been crying hysterically only half an hour ago, and he feared that she might not be entirely in the right mind to fully consent to such a thing, but he could not stop himself from giving her the chaste kiss. A promise for later, if she wanted to act upon it.

The look on his face must have finally conveyed this to her, because she gave a small nod, her expression almost mystified.

“We should get some sleep,” he whispered, still gently stroking her cheek. “I’ll hold you, if you want.”

“I’d really like that,” she breathed.

So he did. He laid back down onto the bed and she pressed herself against his chest, her wounded arm tucked securely between them as her other arm went around his waist. She rest her cheek against his collarbone and he wrapped his big arms around her, keeping her snug against him. She breathed out a small sigh that sounded both relieved and relaxed. He kissed the top of her head.

“Goodnight,” he told her, voice soft.

“Mhm…G’night…” Aloy murmured, already sounding half asleep. He smiled against her hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Erend: *Thinks about biting her ass* Oh god no wtf brain_   
>  _Aloy: *thinking to herself* you can pound 'me' into any shape you want. ;D Wait. No. That doesn't sound right. Fuck._
> 
> What will it take to make these two bang? Oh right... I have that power. Too bad! Gonna make myself, and y'all, wait.
> 
> Also! Sorry this was so late. I wanted to have this out last night, but my internet went out and didn't come back on until the next morning, then I spent the day with my friend, so I didn't have time to finish it. But it's out now!


	12. Chapter 12

When Aloy woke, it was late into the morning, much to her surprise. She rubbed at one of her eyes before blinking several times, attempting to adjust to being awake. She was thankful that she felt her head was a bit clearer than it had been the past two days. However, she felt stiff after having slept in one position for most of the night.

She hadn’t rolled off her side, but Erend had rolled onto his back at some point, though he had kept an arm around her shoulders. His bicep had served as her pillow last night, much to her heart fluttering joy. She had to move now, however, because her muscles were crying out to be stretched. Her neck was probably going to be stiff for the rest of the day.

Sitting up, she rolled her shoulders, listening to her spine give a few satisfying cracks. She looked down at Erend, listening to his gentle snoring. His lips were slightly parted, his beard a slight mess on the side where he had had it pressed against the top of her head. She wondered how her own hair looked.

Eyes trailing downward, one corner of her lips quirked up as she let her gaze travel along his chest and abdomen. The blankets were draped across only one of his legs, probably kicked off because of how hot it had gotten, and his shirt had ridden up slightly, showing off some of his midriff.

Again, she was reminded that he was muscular, but he was thick around the middle, unlike the slim muscles that Aloy had been so used to seeing on Avad and Varl. Granted, she had only seen Varl shirtless about two or three times, but Avad had _only_ ever shirtless around her in the past. Both of them had slim waists. She liked how thick Erend was, though. Preferred it, actually. She almost wanted to reach out and run her hand along his abdomen, to feel it under her fingertips.

Tearing her gaze away, her cheeks heated. “Bad Aloy,” she whispered to herself.

Instead of dwelling on her very intrusive thoughts, she scooted off the bed, attempting to not shift it too much and wake Erend. He probably needed his sleep after having stayed up most of the night with her.

Aloy was used to running on very little sleep, so she felt very refreshed after having slept for so long. She stood from the bed and stretched some more, finding that her side was now a dull ache instead of the stabbing pain it had been only yesterday.

The doctor’s medicine was working wonders. Her arm, however, would still need to stay in its sling. She wasn’t sure how long it would take for it to heal; she’d never had anything more than a broken finger or toe.

She hoped it healed fast, so she could use both of her arms again. She had probably worsened it by using it while killing those two bandits. Great.

There was a mirror on one of the walls, near a crickety table that had a wash bin sitting atop it. She walked over, finally catching her own reflection in what had seemed like months. Of course, it had only been three days, but she still felt her stomach churn upon seeing herself.

She had dark circles under her eyes, her skin paler than it had been in months. It made her freckles stand out, more prominent on her cheeks. Her hair was a mess like she had assumed, though not as bad as she had thought it would be. She wondered if there was a brush in her bag.

Speaking of her bag, it sat at the foot of the bed, along with her spear, bow, and quiver. She tiptoed over to it, crouching down to rummage through the it. She found a few pieces of clothing, but there were none of her arm pieces – not that she could use them to begin with. She hummed with amusement as she realized that the outfit was the one she had worn at the beginning of her journey across the world. The one Erend had first met her in.

It would be far too warm to wear in this weather, but she put it on anyway, struggling when it came to the skirt and shirt. Doing this with one had was rather difficult. Still, she managed to get it on. When she looked in the mirror, it was almost startling to see herself in the outfit. It had been years since she had worn it.

Granted, she didn’t have her necklaces or the blue scarf, or the medicine pouches on the belt, but it still made her uneasy to see herself in it. She pushed that aside, telling herself to just not look in mirrors.

As she crouched down to look through her bag again, she happened to find a brush at the bottom, relief washing through her. At least with a hair brushing she’d look a little bit healthier than she did now.

Sitting on the floor, she began to undo her braids, again finding this difficult with only one hand. She found herself huffing a few times, wondering how she was going to redo all of this afterward. The answer was simple; she couldn’t.

As she began brushing her hair, growing more frustrated with the act as she went, she heard Erend’s snoring come to a slow stop before he made a small grunt and sat up. The bed creaked under his shifting weight.

“Aloy,” he said, sounding groggy still. “What are you doing on the floor?”

“Trying to brush my hair,” she huffed. “But it’s proving to be more of a hassle than if I were to just leave it alone.”

There was a short pause before Erend said, “Come here. I’ll do it for you.”

Hesitating for a moment, Aloy thought it over and ended up deciding that it was for the best. She stood from her spot and walked over, sitting down beside him. She held out the brush and he took it. When he gestured for her to turn, she did, staring at the wall across from them as he gathered her hair into his hands.

She felt the brush go through her hair and noted how gentle he was. She remembered last night, how he had kissed her so carefully, his lips having only been on hers for a brief moment. She mulled over that memory, chewing on the corner of her bottom lip. She wanted to ask him about it, but wasn’t sure if that would be weird.

Maybe he had decided that he didn’t want anything more from her. What if he had kissed her and realized that wasn’t what he had wanted at all? That thought might just kill her. No, no. It wouldn’t. She was stronger than that. He was just a man, nothing to get worked up about.

“Do you want to leave it down?” he asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

“Can you braid?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He gave a snort, as if that question was ridiculous. “Of course I can.”

She smiled despite herself, sitting still as he began to part her hair into sections. She was surprised when she realized he was doing a more complex braid than the three locked braid that she had expected. “Where’d you learn to braid hair?”

His cheeks flushed. “Ersa used to have long hair. She kept it in braids until she cut it.”

Aloy hummed thoughtfully. “So you used to braid her hair.”

“It’s a completely manly thing to help your sister braid her hair,” he teased.

She laughed softly in response. There was no doubting Erend’s masculinity. She didn’t think anyone would have, even if they were watching him braid her hair right now. She was sure he knew that.

When he finished, she held out one of her hair ribbons, which he took to tie off the end of the braid. “There,” he said. “Finished. Now you’re ready to fight any machine that pops up.”

She laughed again. “Ah, yes. Me and my broken arm, fighting machines.”

“If anyone could take out a machine with one hand, it’s you.” He placed his hands on her waist, careful of her wound, and leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

This sent a jolt of surprise through her, her cheeks heating drastically. “So, um…”

“Aloy,” he said, breaking her thoughts once more. “Will you still come to Meridian with us?”

There was no doubt in her mind that she would go. She didn’t want to return home, where she’d be alone in her cabin, spending her days talking to only her machines. Besides, she wanted to find out if there were more of the machines like the one that had attacked her.

“Yes,” she said, hardly hesitating. “I’d like to go to Meridian. I mean, we’re already on our way.”

He chuckled at that, releasing her. “It’s late. I should probably go talk to my men. Would you like to come with me?”

Again, she answered without hesitation. “Yes. I’d like to get something to eat, too. I’m starving.”

“Alright, then let’s go.” He turned to pull on his boots. She noted how his beard was still messed up on one side. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through it, fixing the thick hairs. He glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Your beard is all mess up,” she explained with a smirk. “Don’t want to let your men see you out of shape.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I guess you’re right.”

She stood, knowing full well that she was right. Besides, she didn’t need any speculations going through the Vanguard, or else Erend and her would not heard the end of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so short! The next parts are going to be of them traveling and I didn't want to put that all in this chapter, since it'll be long. I just wanted a quick interaction with Erend and Aloy before they set off - and to establish that Aloy _is_ going to go with them to Meridian.  
>  Also, the next chapter may or may not have Nil. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

They set out before noon, leaving Daytower behind as they ventured out into the wilds of the desert. Aloy was once again reminded how much she hated all of the dust and dirt. It stung at her eyes every time a good wind picked up, making her blink rapidly. At least she was up on her Strider instead of walking. She was happy that she was finally able to ride alongside the rest of the Vanguard, instead of sitting within the wagon that now held all of their supplies.

If they stayed on the road, they would arrive at Meridian in two days. They would have been able to arrive sooner if they had left Daytower at the break of dawn. The Vanguard weren’t complaining, however. Instead they continued their merry chatter and jokes, keeping the trip from being any sorts of dull.

The first day went by all quite quickly, due to having set out so late, and Aloy found herself almost restless when they decided to set up camp. She ended up offering to hunt and no one objected to such a thing. Erend even encouraged it, noting how fidgety she was.

It had been dark by the time they set up camp, so she knew it would be easy to hunt. She wasn’t fond of the lack of game in the Sundom, especially in the desert parts, but she was determined to not return to camp until she had at least a few kills or one big one.

Granted, it would have been much easier if she could use her bow. Instead she was going to have to use her spear, which meant having to be _extra_ quiet.

The hunt was always exhilarating in her opinion. She’d turn on her Focus and search for tracks, then follow said tracks to her prey. There was something about sneaking up on something and killing it that had her heart racing with a type of thrill that could not be measured. Hunting animals was something she was good at, always had been.

Sometimes she thought about how she was good at hunting _anything_ , yet would push that horrifying thought away. She didn’t like how she had used her skills to kill people. They were all people who had it coming, but she remembered the thrill of those hunts too.

It was something she didn’t like thinking about. Dwelling on it made her feel sick, as if she had eaten boar that was too old.

As she sat in the grass, she listened to the rustle of a rabbit, waiting for it to come closer so she could drive the end of her spear into its head. But something started the rabbit and she tried to not grit her teeth in irritation as it ran off.

She moved on, instead finding the tracks of a boar. _Much better,_ she thought to herself as she followed the tracks, keeping low and quiet.

When she found a patch of grass to hide in, she slipped into it, using her Focus to scan the area. The boar was several paces to her right, so she shifted her weight, moving carefully towards it. The boar was grazing on some grass that should have been too dry for its taste.

When she came close enough, she raised her spear and thrust it down into the animal’s neck. It squealed as it fell. She pressed her boot against its ribs and quickly put her spear through its temple so it would not suffer.

Taking in a deep breath, she knelt down and checked the boar for any sort of indicator that it was diseased, because then it would not be safe to eat and she would need to start over. Luckily, it was a healthy boar, just as she had thought. With relief, she put two fingers to her lips and whistled.

She was nearly a mile from the camp, but Fanas would still hear her regardless. Whenever she would override machines, they would always come when she called. She didn’t question it most of the time.

As she waited, she began to clean the blade of her spear on the grass, wiping away the deep red blood. Once she finished, she took a moment to take in her surroundings, to refamiliarize herself to the desert. She could see the cliffs in the distance, rocky areas that cut off into gullies.

It had a type of beauty to it, though Aloy preferred the thick of the forest, where sneaking and hiding was far easier. She didn’t like how _open_ everything here was.

She heard the heavy gallop of her Strider and turned to see it in the distance. She waited for it to come closer before she began to hoist up the boar, realizing quite quickly that she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to get the heavy beast atop Fanas.

Huffing, she pulled the creature over her shoulders and felt blood smear over her cheek. She stood with it on her shoulder, the smelly creature making her nose wrinkle. With as much success as one could muster in her situation, she flung the creature over the back of her Strider, pushing it higher up until it was safely secured.

By the Sun, she could not wait for her arm to heal.

She walked alongside Fanas as they began their walk back to the camp. She was sure they had already begun cooking the meat they already had, but she was also certain it would have not been enough for the entire Vanguard.

She could smell their smoke in the air, hear their laughter, as she got closer. It sent a small warmth of pleasure through her chest. She liked being around people like them. She liked how loud and raunchy they were. It definitely kept things interesting.

When she returned to the camp, one of the men was quick to take the boar from her to skin and clean it. She was more than happy to let him, instead going to sit at the fire by Erend, who was in the midst of listening to a tale that one of the men was boasting about.

He offered her a smile. “How’d it go?”

“I got a boar,” she said. “It felt nice to not be useless for once.”

Erend shook his head, chuckling. “You’re never useless.”

That made her blush, tearing her gaze away from him as her lips quirked up into a smile.

 

* * *

 

Aloy was surprised when none of the Vanguard made fun of the fact that she and Erend were sleeping in the same tent. Or maybe they had, but she hadn’t heard it, as she went to bed before anyone else. Despite having gone hunting, she was still hurt and it wore her down far quicker than she would have liked. So as the evening drew on and as the Vanguard continued to tell stories, she excused herself and disappeared into Erend’s tent.

She unrolled the beds, having realized that Erend had yet to do that. She sat them next to each other, though her cheeks were hot the entire time she sat them up. Maybe it was silly of her to assume he’d want to sleep next to her, so she left a foot of space between the bedrolls.

She stripped down to her trousers and undershirt, setting her skirt, top shirt, and belt aside. Then she dug through her bag to find the medicine and bandages the doctor had given her. Holding the end of her shirt up with her teeth, she unwrapped her bandage, setting it aside before cleaning the wound to the best of her ability. She winced at how the bullet holes looks.

They were already beginning to heal up, but they were still angry and red, covered by a purple salve that was a mixture of different herbs. At least, that’s what the doctor had told her. She wiped away most of it as she cleaned the wound before applying more from the tin can that had been given to her.

She winced as she had to smear the salve across the two holes, biting hard into her shirt as she smoothed the balmy cream into her skin. It had a sort of cooling quality to it that began to sooth the sting and ache. She was thankful for that.

When she finished, she put on a new bandage and wrapped a cheesecloth strip around her waist to hold it in place. She was more than happy to be done with the whole ordeal, releasing the end of her shirt from her teeth as she began to put everything away.

Laying down, she let her eyes flutter shut, relaxing against the thick furs of her bed.

It wasn’t long after that when the rest of the Vanguard began to settle down for the night and Erend joined her in the tent. She listened to him shuffle around for a few moments, kicking off his boots and peeling off his armor, before he laid down on his own bedroll. He let out a small sigh and she fought the urge to reach over and touch his arm.

“You should scoot your bed closer,” she whispered after a few silent seconds. She wondered if he had thought she were asleep, because he didn’t answer right away. “In case it gets cold,” she added as an afterthought.

She wasn’t wrong; it _could_ have gotten cold. While it was warm during the day, the desert did get awfully cold at night, when the winds could pick up and press cold against you.

After a few seconds, she heard him shuffling around again before he scooted his bed closer to hers. When he laid back down, he was facing her, propped up on one of his elbows. He reached down, brushing is fingers along her jaw.

She turned her head, finally opening her eyes to look at him, though everything was dim, barely glowing from the light of the fire outside the tent. Still, she saw him lean down and she let her eyes flutter back closed as his lips found hers.

Again, it was so brief and she instantly missed it when he pulled away, as if he were gathering himself once more. She wished she could make him stay, but she didn’t have the energy.

Instead she smiled and scooted closer to him, pulling one of his arms around her. He seemed content with holding her, kissing the top of her head. The two of them were quick to fall asleep, comforted by each other’s presence.

 

* * *

 

Erend woke her up in the morning, much to her surprise. She was usually one to wake up at sunrise, but felt too groggy that morning. Instead she woke up to Erend getting up, which had caused her to be shifted as he pulled his arm out from under her head.

She groaned in objection, but he only chuckled, shaking his head as he began to pull on his boots and armor. She reached out, touching his back if only to make him pay attention to her, even for just a brief moment.

He turned and leaned down to kiss her forehead. That made her happy enough to let him finish getting ready for the day.

Breakfast was slow, for everyone. Someone had started a pot of oatmeal, which was bland but filling. It seemed that no one was in a rush to get back on the road. After breakfast, the rest of the camp was packed up and they set out once more, lively conversation picking up again, like it had the previous day.

The day seemed to be threatening a storm and Aloy was not looking forward to it. She was only glad that they were not on any sort of deadline. Perhaps that was why everyone was so sluggish today.

It seemed to go on forever and Aloy remembered how much she hated the monotony of travel. At least when she had gone on her journey before, there had been machines to protect herself from, reasons to break how boring riding down a road was.

She had had things to explore, to discover and track. Now she watched the machines graze peacefully as they passed by, able to marvel at their beauty without them angering. At least seeing Tramplers, Behemoths, and Rockbreakers was not a reason to run anymore, she’d tell herself.

But by the Sun, she was bored.

“I’m going to tame a Ravager,” Aloy muttered at one point, bringing Erend’s attention to her with raised eyebrows.

“Aloy,” he chided. “Don’t.”

“I’m gonna do it,” she said, her lips pulling up into a grin.

He groaned, though he knew now that she was only teasing. He humored her. “Aloy, no.”

“Aloy, _yes_.” She smirked, holding her head high.

“Well, I can’t stop you.” When his eyes met hers, he smiled. The type of smile that made her heart melt within her chest.

She hummed, turning her gaze back to the road. “I suppose it helps your case that there are no Ravagers around. You should hear them howl, though. It’s beautiful.”

He parted his lips to say something, but seemed to decide against it. She wondered what it was. He cleared his throat instead. “Next time you see a Ravager, let me know and you can show me.”

She smiled. “Of course.”

 

* * *

 

As the day went by, Erend found himself looking more and more at Aloy, noting small things about her that he wouldn’t have been able to note before. She didn’t seem to mind it when he stared, only flashing a smile when she caught him. He would smile back and tear his gaze away for another few moments before looking back over at her.

She rode her Strider with such confidence, as if she were born to be atop a machine. She had a presence with the machines that trumped everyone else’s. A type of power that he knew no one could match. Even while injured, she was a creature to behold.

Small strands of red hair tickled her cheeks as the day went on, falling loose from her braid, and he yearned to lean over and brush them away. Her hazel eyes scanned the landscape with such care, as if she thought she might miss something out here in the desert wilds.

But he also noticed how she tensed upon seeing certain machines, the way her shoulders would go up slightly, her back straightening as she tightened her hands on the wires that helped her control her Strider. Especially when they neared a pack of Behemoths. He swore that it had been the reason she had broken out into a sudden sweat, her eyes watching the beasts intently, eyebrows pinched together.

She calmed once they were a mile from them and Erend found himself relieved. He was worried about her, of course. How could he not be? He had seen her fall prey to her nightmares and memories. He knew she was strong and capable, but he certainly didn’t want a repeat of what had happened the night of the Proving celebration.

Towards late afternoon, they stopped beside a creak to get water. Aloy seemed more than happy to get off her Strider and stretch her legs. Erend found that he had needed it too, stretching after having slid off his Broadhead.

Aloy had begun talking to Aneta, the two of them discussing something animatedly. One of the other Vanguard men joined in, draping an arm over one of Aneta’s shoulder as he threw out a joke. Aneta didn’t seem to find it funny as she gave a heavy roll of her eyes. But Aloy laughed, sounding surprised at whatever the man had said.

Erend smiled, pleased that she was enjoying herself.

They didn’t stay long, only taking a short break before they headed back onto the road. The guard began to become more rowdy the closer they got to Meridian and Erend knew they were looking forward to being home.

The rest of the day went by just as slow as the previous hours, though they had made quite some distance since morning. Erend could tell Aloy was getting tired, though. She kept reaching over and placing her hand over her wound, taking in steadying breaths before resuming her handhold on the reins.

Once the sky began to grow dark, Erend finally told his men that they should stop for the night. Aloy and the Vanguard seemed relieved by this. His men began to start a fire and pitch their tents while he began to pitch his own. Aloy told him she was going to go hunting, despite Erend’s small protest. He saw how tired she looked and tried to explain that, but she waved it off with a smile before disappearing into the wilds.

She didn’t come back for a while.

Erend didn’t let himself worry, instead going about and speaking with his men to see how everyone was doing. Eventually someone busted out the ale, which Erend had forgotten they had to begin with. Still, he began to drink with them, though held off on drinking _too_ much while Aloy was gone. A pint at most.

As the fire began roaring, they all sat around it, beginning their old tradition of sharing battle tales and jokes. Erend had heard some of them half a dozen times, but conversation always started with some type of jest or tale.

He joined in a couple of times, making fun of some of his men as they made fun of him. At one point, one of them asked the question he’d been avoiding; “So, what’s up with you and Aloy?”

To which he sat there quietly for a moment, taking a drink of his ale. “I’m not sure,” he finally admitted.

This seemed to be an invitation for them to begin suggesting things. All sorts of things, too. Some even joked about there being a wedding, causing Erend to sit there brooding, hoping that Aloy wasn’t close by, but also hoping she would be returning soon. The alcohol wasn’t helping his mixed emotions.

Instead he sat there, sometimes listening and sometimes hollering for them to shut their traps. Especially when they got too raunchy. He certainly did not want them making jokes about Aloy and him having sex. First, because he respected Aloy too much to joke about such things. And second, because they hadn’t had sex anyway.

He relaxed when the conversation returned to other subjects, drinking slowly from his mug. He let his mind wander, mulling over what his men had said about him marrying Aloy. Of course it had been a joke just like everything else, but… was it too farfetched to really think about those things?

Erend had never thought about settling down or marrying. It had never been one of those things he ever thought he would want. Yet the very idea of marrying Aloy was, well, quite a heart hammering thought. Would they have a Nora or Oseram wedding? What were Nora weddings even like? It was an entertaining thought that he knew was never going to be a reality.

The two had kissed, but it had been such brief kisses. Innocent ones that couldn’t really mean anything. Right? They meant a world to him, but he wasn’t sure she felt the same. By the Sun, he wanted her to feel the same. Yet the way she looked at him now was the same way she’d looked at him before.

Nothing had changed, he was sure.

As an hour and a half ticked by, Erend grew more worried, scanning the desert around them for any signs that Aloy would return. He began to grow sick with worry, his mind going over a million things. What if she had startled a Trampler that had hurt her? What if she had fallen down a ravine? What if there were bandits around and they had found her?

When he had finally decided to go look for her, she returned. But, for whatever reason, she was not alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even the Vanguard wants you to bang Aloy, Erend. Just get on with it. God. At least properly kiss the girl.


	14. Chapter 14

“This is Nil,” Aloy had introduced, gesturing to the man she had brought back to the camp. He was wearing barely any armor and his chest was smeared with blood from the boar and rabbits that he and Aloy had carried into the camp. He had a smile on his lips that was positively charming, but in a way that made one feel as if they needed to go take a bath afterwards.

Erend decided right away that he did not like Nil.

It wasn’t just in the way that he held himself – cocky nature and an unwavering gaze that could make anyone feel unsettled – but in the way he treated and looked at Aloy. Almost as if he wanted to rip her clothes from her and take her on the spot. It unnerved Erend in a way that made him want to both punch the guy and be sick. He wished Aloy wouldn’t stand so close to him.

Aloy went on to explain to Erend how she had met Nil several years ago, how she had cleared bandit camps with him. She spoke animatedly when she talked about the people they had saved and Erend hated how Nil watched her every time she talked, his eyes never wavering from her face.

She didn’t seem to notice, too busy telling Erend about how she had found Nil out there while hunting and how he had offered to help her carry back her kills. Somehow Erend didn’t think Nil had been ‘found,’ but rather had sought Aloy out.

He seemed content in staying beside the redhead, however, inviting himself over to sit by her at the fire when she said she wanted to warm up. Erend didn’t trust the man, eyeing him through narrowed eyes.

Still, he sat down by Aloy, trying to not sneer at Nil.

Nil was quiet, content to just watch Aloy talk, even if she wasn’t doing much of it to begin with. When she asked him what he had been up to these past two years, he gave her a smile that was so charming that it made Erend’s stomach churn with unease.

“I’ve been…around,” Nil said, his voice holding a certain lilt to it that was almost dangerous. “It seems bandit don’t stay quiet for long. I should have known. When swine get together, they create a squalor.”

“You’re still killing bandits,” Aloy said, sounding unsurprised. “How is that going?”

“It would be better with a partner. You should join me again sometime.” His lips quirked up into a smile, gaze flickering across her face.

Erend resisted the urge to say anything, yet felt his blood boil when Aloy offered Nil a gentle smile. Was she considering it? Why? Who even _was_ this guy?

“I’m not sure,” she said, her eyes meeting Nil’s.

He pouted. Actually pouted. Erend wanted to roll his eyes. Was this guy serious?

“Aw, don’t you miss the feeling of the hunt? The kill?” He paused, letting his eyes roam down her body. “But it seems you’ve been in a brawl recently. Was it fun?”

She snorted. “No. I got beat to a pulp.”

“You didn’t kill them?”

“No. It was a machine.” Aloy shifted, uncomfortable. But it seemed she was more uneasy about the fact that she hadn’t killed what had hurt her, than she was about him staring at her.

Nil hummed at this. He leaned forward slightly, catching her gaze. “You have that look in your eye. The one I see on bandits before they die.” He gave a small shake of his head. “I don’t like it on you.”

Aloy’s cheeks heated and she tore her gaze away. “A lot has happened.”

“Mm… I can see that.” He seemed to think over something. “I think you should come with me sometime. We can make an adventure out of it. Just the two of us. Clearing bandit camps like the good old days.”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, considering it. Maybe that _would_ help her fears and nightmares; doing something to help others. Another purpose in life. “Maybe.”

Erend was beyond himself, deciding that he needed more ale if he was going to stomach anymore of this conversation. He wasn’t sure what had gone on between these two, but he didn’t like how easy Nil spoke to her, as if he had all the time to form each word – knowing that she would listen.

He stood from his spot, making his way over to the wagon, where they kept the jug of ale. He poured it into his mug and began chugging. He was almost thankful when one of his men stole his attention away.

The next couple of hours went by with Erend watching Aloy and Nil out of the corner of his eyes, growing more and more uneasy as Aloy seemed to grow comfortable with the man. They talked among themselves, having moved away from the fire at one point to have a more private conversation by themselves. Nil seemed so interested in everything Aloy was saying.

But of course he would have been. Everything Aloy said had purpose. Even when she was joking, she made people want to listen. She had such a beautiful presence. Erend hated it that Nil was getting that right now.

He had several reasons for hating Nil, but he mostly hated how Aloy looked back at Nil. She seemed to have this quiet understanding, as if the two held a secret between them that only they could relate to. It was not something he liked at _all._

As the evening grew late, Erend had drunk perhaps too much, growing only more frustrated. He heard Aloy laugh a couple of time with Nil and his chest tightened with a furious anger that made him want to walk over and tell Nil to leave.

No. He wouldn’t do that. Aloy could do what she wanted. He was just a guy. He wouldn’t be staying with them for the rest of the journey, he was sure. He _hoped,_ anyway.

He tried to tell himself to calm down, but he couldn’t think past his iron hot irritation. He tried really hard to let his thought drift to the conversation that his men were trying to have with him. He tried to not look over at Aloy and Nil, but even his Vanguard were starting to notice. Well, it wasn’t as if they hadn’t felt uncomfortable with Nil there as well.

After all, the Vanguard felt that Nil was a threat to Erend’s and Aloy’s relationship. Some of them jokingly whispered about telling Nil to ‘ _shoo._ ’ To which Erend had grumbled for them to shut up.

The later it grew, the more Erend just wanted to be done with the day. Eventually the alcohol became heavy on his brain and he decided to go to bed. If Aloy wanted to stay up all night and talk to Nil, then so be it. He wasn’t going to watch it anymore.

He went into the tent and peeled off his armor before laying down on his bedroll, glaring up at the roof of the tent. Fuck this Nil. _If Aloy wants to leave with him, then so be it,_ he bitterly thought, too drunk to care anymore.

 

* * *

 

Aloy came into the tent quietly, tired after the very long day. She had wanted to say goodbye to Nil hours ago, but it wasn’t exactly easy to make the man leave. Then the two had begun to speak of more serious things that had made Aloy’s body tense with panic. But Nil had tried to soothe her fears with jokes that she had uneasily laughed at.

Something was wrong in the world. Again. Nil had seen it. He had told her about how new machines were appearing, how he had seen more machines like the one that had attacked her. She had listened intently as he told her all her knew, which wasn’t much.

There was a new, very angry, machine out there. It was appearing like the Corruptors had the day after her Proving. Popping up out of the earth, just like the Deathbringers.

He said he wasn’t sure how many he had seen, but that he avoided them because they didn’t look _that_ interesting to him. Not enough to go out of his way to kill them.

Aloy wanted to know more, but Nil didn’t have any more to give. She would ask Avad if his people were reporting them as well. This might be something to do with GAIA.

Or worse.

But she didn’t want to think of what the _‘worse’_ part could be. She didn’t want to even consider that Hades might still be alive. Not after everything she had done. No. She had done everything possible. She had killed him.

Taking in a shaky breath, she tried to keep quiet as she unbuckled her skirt. She stripped down to her trousers and undershirt before laying down on her bedroll, staring upward. It was too dark to see anything, since Erend had set his tent away from the fire, as he always did.

He wasn’t snoring, so she wondered if he was asleep. She needed his comfort more than anything right now. She didn’t want to admit it, but all she saw was the red flashes of light from angry machines. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and make them go away, yet she knew full well that her mind was where they resided.

She pressed her lips together, considering her options. She could try to sleep and end up with nightmares, or she could scoot closer to Erend and have him hold her until she wasn’t scared anymore.

Wait. Was she using Erend to cope with her fears? She hadn’t realized she had been doing that. She had been using him to make all of her worries go away. He just made everything feel okay for a bit. Oh no… she was growing dependent on him.

She chewed on her bottom lip, worry tearing at her chest. That wasn’t the only reason why she liked him, right? She liked him because he was warm… safe. Yes. Erend was the only person she had felt safe around since Rost died. He made her feel okay in a way that no one else could.

That’s why she had let him stay the other night when she had been panicking over her nightmare. He was a positive in her life that kept her grounded, even if they had spent so much time together.

It began to rain.

She hadn’t realized it at first, because it was just a few drops and she was lost in thought, but suddenly it was pouring, as if the sky had opened up. Thunder cracked across the sky and she jumped, tensing in her bed.

Luckily, the tent was thick enough to not leak, bathed in a waxy solution that kept the water from getting through. Still, it was something that came without her expectation. She had seen a storm coming, but had figured it wouldn’t hit this quickly.

Desert storms were weird, though. They came and went within the blink of an eye.

She pulled the blankets up to her chest, staring wide eyed up at the roof of the tent. She wondered if Nil had found shelter. He was so odd. Maybe he liked being out in the rain like this.

Attempting to divert her mind from that, she rolled onto her side, looking over to where Erend laid. He had to have been awake, right? He wasn’t snoring.

“Erend?” she asked, her voice so very light, barely heard over the rain.

He didn’t answer for a long time and she thought perhaps he _was_ asleep. Then he shifted, rolling onto his back. “What?”

She didn’t like the bite to his tone, as if her were mad at her. She frowned. He had been drinking, hadn’t he? She thought she had seen him drinking. “Are you okay?

He sighed loudly, sounding suddenly tired. “Yeah. I guess so.”

Peeling back her blankets, she scooted over to his bedroll, pushing back his blankets in order to slip underneath. He grunted, scooting over for her. She laid her head atop his chest, draping her good arm around him.

After a moment, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. He gave another sigh, burying his face in her hair. “Why do we keep doing this?” he asked, sounding more drained than she had ever heard him.

She paused for a moment, considering it. _Because I need you,_ she wanted to say. “I don’t know,” she said instead.

“I like you too much to continue to do this, Aloy.” He kissed the top of her head as she frowned.

She wasn’t sure what he meant by that. If he liked her, then wouldn’t he want to _keep_ doing this? Men were so confusing. “I like you too, you know. I’m not sure why it has to be such a big deal.”

He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. “Yeah,” he breathed the word. “I guess you’re right.”

Swallowing hard, she sat up slightly, hovering over him. She gazed down at what she could see of him in the dark. She imagined he looked cute right now, gazing up at her. She wished she could see his expression clearly.

Leaning down, she brushed her lips against his, feeling his hand come up to rest between her shoulder blades. This time, he kissed her back. He pulled her into the kiss, keeping her there, and she was more than happy to stay. Her lips moved tenderly against his and he returned it with the same carefulness.

His other hand went to her side, pulling her closer. Though he seemed to realized that perhaps this position wasn’t all too comfortable for her with her injuries, so he instead coaxed her to lay down. He traded places with her, pressing his body against hers as carefully as he could, while running his hand along her uninjured side.

She shivered, meeting his lips with a new passion, to which he met. Their legs tangled together and all she could feel was his weight pressing on top of her. It was far better than in her dream, where he had felt practically weightless.

When their tongues brushed together, she felt a jolt of electricity go through her – or something of that nature – her skin prickling with goosebumps. She cupped his cheek, her heart hammering in her cage of a chest, as if it wanted to break free.

He trailed his hand down her side and to her hip, gripping it tightly. She shuddered, kissing him harder. When he shifted atop her to adjust his position, to get more comfortable, his thigh pressed between her legs and a whole new array of emotions and sensations rolled through her.

Without her intent, a small whimper left her lips. This only encouraged him, his hand sliding under her thigh to bring it up, pressing it against his hip. Her toes curled, her hand finding its way to the back of his neck.

They were already breathing hard and she felt light as a feather, her body tingling with a type of buzz that she was unfamiliar with. She wanted him closer. That was new. She had never wanted anyone as close as she wanted him, as if she needed him to touch her everywhere he could.

He pressed his thigh harder against her and she rolled her hips in response, releasing a small gasp. He seemed to adore her response, because he repeated the process, ducking his head to kiss at her throat.

She tilted her head back, gasping for breath. Erend only gave a roll of his own hips, grinding his thigh against her. She shivered, her eyebrows pinching together as a small sound left her lips.

They were moving so fast. She knew that, yet she felt needy. She wanted him to keep going, to continue to press against her like this.

“Erend,” she whimpered, reaching down to tug at his shirt. He broke away from her momentarily to pull it off, tossing it aside before bending to kiss her upon the lips. His fingers roamed up her sides, underneath her shirt. When his fingers brushed across the underside of her breasts, she shivered again.

“You’re so beautiful,” he told her, his voice gentle. “Let’s take this slow, okay?”

She wasn’t sure what that meant. Did he want her to stop kissing him so hard? To stop making her needy noises? In truth, she had no idea where _those_ were coming from.

Nodding regardless, she took in a shaky breath. “Okay.”

He captured her lips again, much to her relief, but continued to slide his hands along her skin, cupping her breasts. Again, she wasn’t sure what he meant by slow if he was still touching her like this.

He trialed his kisses from her lips to her jaw, to her neck, then to her shoulder, where it was exposed. She felt like she couldn’t pull enough air into her lungs, gasping for breath once again. Why did every touch feel like the best thing she had ever felt in her life? It was both overwhelming and wonderful.

Erend slid one of his hands down her side, gripping her hip again, encouraging her to grind against his thigh. She was thankful for that, though she reacted carefully and almost experimentally. The pressure was oh so wonderful. She released a small moan, shuddering against him.

“Just like that,” he whispered against her neck, placing small kisses against her skin. He seemed to be intent with making sure she was pleased first and foremost, his focus solely on her pleasure.

When she wanted his lips back on hers, he was more than happy to give her that. She was clumsy now, however, their kiss broken by her small moans and whimpered, fingertips digging into his back. Not that he minded.

After a few moments of letting her grind against his thigh, he decided to delve further, wondering all the ways that he could make her squirm. He dipped his fingers under her trousers, pausing when she jumped in surprise.

“Is this alright?” he asked her in a whisper.

After a few seconds, she nodded. “Yes. That’s okay.”

He rest his forehead atop hers, sliding his fingers further under her trousers, lifting his hips slightly to give himself the space to do so. They both felt their breaths hitch upon him slipping his fingers under her underwear, trailing them along the slick wetness of her core.

She shuddered, clutching to his arm. “Please,” she gasped, encouraging him further.

He felt himself release a shaky breath, amazed with how silky she felt. And so very delicate. He was careful with her, his fingers moving at such a slow pace that it had Aloy breaking into needy whimpers, her hips moving of their own accord.

Smiling, he kissed her lips. “Do you mind if we take your pants off?”

She shook her head, trembling underneath him. “No, I don’t mind.”

He pulled away from her to hook his fingers under the waistband of her pants, shimmying them down her slender legs. He wished it wasn’t so dark, so that he could admire how he imagined she looked. Either way, he knew she was beautiful.

Once he slipped her trousers and underwear off, he bent down to kiss at her shins, then her knees. When she shuddered, he leaned up and kissed her lips. She wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling him closer.

He returned his fingers to her core, sliding the pad of his middle finger from her clit to her entrance before repeating the gesture. Again, his touch was gentle, afraid of hurting her. She was so delicate, after all.

She moaned against his lips, her hips tilting upward to press her core harder against his fingers. He took this moment to slip one of his fingers into her, feeling her tense momentarily before she broke into shudders. He kissed her lips and she replied hungrily, a moan escaping her.

She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it certainly wasn’t the pleasant feeling that spread through her body. How were his touches so addicting? She didn’t want him to stop. His hand was so warm, his palm pressing against her clit as his finger pressed deeper.

He leaned down to kiss at her throat again and she thought she might melt. He was being so careful, so considerate. She adored it and was also very thankful for it. He seemed to understand that this was new to her, though she wasn’t sure what had given that away.

She was so distracted by his hand that she almost didn’t notice that he had begun kissing down her torso, only noticing when he kissed just above her navel. She jumped in surprise, turning her gaze down to him, despite the fact that she couldn’t see him clearly.

He kissed lower, until he reached the valley between her hipbones.

“Wait, Erend, what are you –”

She was cut off when he pressed his lips to her clit before running the flat of his tongue across it. She shivered then collapsed against the bed, her toes curling. She gasped out a curse, both confusion and pleasure rolling through her.

Well, this was certainly something that was _very_ new. Something like this never would have occurred to her, in truth. It was beyond anything she had ever considered. But oh by the sun, his lips felt like heaven itself.

Erend loved the sounds that fell from her lips as he pressed his own lips and tongue against her, moving them along her clit and entrance. She was sweet and silky against his tongue, much like how he thought she would be. He gave a small moan of his own, dragging his tongue from her entrance to her clit.

Aloy reached down and tangled her fingers in his hair, her back arching up off the bed. “Erend,” she squeaked out in between gasps. Her lower abdomen felt tight, as if it was a coil wound too tight and was begging to be released.

He was only encouraged, gripping her thighs as he draped her legs over his shoulders, settling down into a more comfortable position. His gaze flickered up to her, but he could only see her silhouette. Her chest heaved with gasps as she shuddered and trembled, her toes pressing against his back. He adored watching her squirm like this, something he never would have thought would cross his mind.

Dragging the flat of his tongue hard against her clit, he listened to her moans grow louder, her fingers running through his hair. The inner parts of her thighs brushed against his cheeks and he could tell that she was fighting off the urge to clamp her knees together. He couldn’t help but think it was adorable in a way.

She, on the other hand, was having trouble focusing. She had never heard the sounds that left her lips, far lighter than anything that she thought could come from _her._ She felt so warm and light, her gasping breaths making her light headed.

By the sun, the Oseram could use their mouths for more than just flirting.

Or maybe it was just Erend. She didn’t care, because all of her focus was on _this_ – whatever it was. And whatever it was, he was _good_ at it. Really good.

She could feel his beard scratching at her thighs, but she could hardly care. Not when he was doing such wonderful things with his tongue and lips. It sounded messy, but it almost added to the thrill of it. She couldn’t stop shivering, her body tensing whenever he hit a nerve just right.

Somehow, she felt like she was falling apart, but she wasn’t sure why. Everything felt so overwhelmingly blissful, almost too much. She found herself gasping and moaning more frequently, unable to do much of anything else.

When he moved his hand back up to her core, to massage the tip of his middle finger against her entrance, she felt dizzy, her hand going down to grip the fur blankets underneath her instead of his hair. She didn’t want to hurt him – not when he was being so nice.

He sank his finger into her and she tensed up once more, her lips parting in a moan as she accidentally jerked her hips upward. He chuckled in response, seeming to only find this amusing. He pressed his finger upwards, causing her to see stars. Oh, that was new too.

Tracing a circle around her clit with his tongue, Erend glanced back up towards her face, wishing once again that he could see her. He wished he could see the expressions she was making, because she sounded oh so lovely.

As he slowly moved his finger, sliding out before pressing back in, Aloy found herself struggling to not roll her hips, her toes pressing between Erend’s shoulder blades. He was still being so gentle with her and perhaps that was why she felt like she was coming undone. She felt as if she were holding herself by a ribbon and that she was slowly losing her grip.

When her orgasm rolled through her, it took her by surprise, her body tensing as her moans came to a sudden halt. Her back arched off the bed, her thighs pressing against Erend’s ears, despite her previous attempt to not squish his face between them. She saw galaxies behind her eyelids, her whole body filling with a euphoria that left her falling fast and hard. She came down in the form of heavy shudders and gasping breaths, the world becoming far too overwhelming. Yet it was somehow still blissful in a way.

Erend was all grins, even if she couldn’t see it. He sat up, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, before laying down to pull her into his arms. He found it adorable how she still twitched and shivered, small whimpers leaving her lips. She curled up in his arms, attempting to gather her bearings.

He kissed the top of her head, cupping her cheek as he held her close. The two of them stayed quiet for a long time as Aloy caught her breath, suddenly very drowsy. She almost wanted to just go to sleep, yet felt like that might be rude.

She tilted her head up, capturing his lips. “Do you want to continue?” she asked, still sounding breathless.

He chuckled, rubbing at the small of her back. “Nah,” he said. “Aren’t you tired?”

Cheeks flushed, she wondered if he could tell. She didn’t want to be tired. She wanted to make him feel just as good as she had. She wanted to make _him_ see stars. “We can keep going.”

He wrapped his arms tighter around her, bumping her forehead with his own. “Remember how I said we would take this slow?”

“Yeah…” She frowned, still unsure as to what he meant by that.

“Let’s stop here for tonight.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I can tell you’re tired and I don’t want to push you, okay? Especially when you’re still injured.”

Oh. That’s why he wanted to take things slow. He didn’t want to hurt her arm or side. That made a world of sense and she felt silly for having not realized that. “Okay,” she quietly agreed. “But I want to continue this at some point.”

Erend chucked again. “Okay, okay. Yeah, I’d be happy to do that. Later.”

Nodding, she snuggled closer to him. “That was amazing, by the way.”

“I figured you’d like that.” He smirked, squeezing her to him.

She hummed, far too tired to respond with anything else. She hadn’t expected that to tire her out, but that had been another somewhat pleasant surprise. She began to drift off before she could attempt to say much of anything else, and was lulled to sleep by Erend’s soft breathing and the heavy rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I wanna start off by saying that there is a serious lack of people writing Erend going down on Aloy. Just saying.  
> Also, this is like the first smut I've written in a fanfic and I really hope it sounds okay.
> 
> I've been awake for like... 23 hours straight. I'm so tired and still have a full day ahead of me. Woooooo.... but at least I got this out! If there are any mistakes I missed while proofreading, I will fix them later.
> 
> Oh, and after this it's going to get plot heavy... I hope. God, these two have been eating up the majority of the story. So yeah, slow start, but it's all plot heavy once they get to Meridian. At least, I'm reallyyy hoping because like... I did't sit there plotting for two days for no reason.


	15. Chapter 15

Aloy spent the next morning with her cheeks burning and her heart hammering in her chest. Whenever she looked over at Erend, her stomach would do a somersault, a smile tugging at her lips. It was ridiculous, she’d tell herself. It wasn’t that big of a deal, right? But it _felt_ like a big deal. Erend, on the other hand, acted as if everything was as it had been before. He was much better at acting than she was, it seemed. When she looked at the Vanguard, she wondered how many of them _knew_ what they had done.

Of course, she was sure the rain had covered any noises she had made the previous night, yet she found herself avoiding eye contact with anyone who spoke to her. Which probably made her look even more suspicious. Aneta kept giving her a look that made her feel like at least _she_ knew.

As they set out towards Meridian, she was reminded that they would be within the city in only a few hours. What was it like? She hadn’t seen it since it had been built back up. There had still been fallen walls and homes when she had left, with the promise that they would be rectified.

Aloy kept looking over at Erend, her cheeks hot and her head filled with a type of dizziness that she was unfamiliar with. When he looked back at her, she felt that her heart might stop. She wasn’t quite sure what that was about.

How did some women go about sleeping with whoever they pleased, leaving one broken heart after the other? She wasn’t sure, because she felt like the world had been flipped over and spun on its head. Everything felt so different, as if she had no limits now.

And she hadn’t even slept with him, not really. What would it feel like when they finally _did_ sleep together? By the Sun, she couldn’t imagine it. That thought sent a million new emotions to hit her like a sack of bricks.

She couldn’t look at Erend for the rest of the trip, afraid that she would swoon and fall from her Strider. It was ridiculously childish.

When the horizon opened up to reveal the city of Meridian, she felt a new set of emotions that had nothing to do with Erend. She didn’t remember the city looking so big. It felt like a whole new experience, already. The city looked stronger, capable of much more than it had been before.

As they crossed the bridge, the desert gave way to the tropics of Meridian. Even the air shifted, turning from dry heat to humid. She would never get used to that shift, but it was better than the desert. She took in a heavy breath, attempting to ride with confidence as they passed by Carja guards.

She remembered the first time she had walked across the bridge, staring in wonder at a city she had never seen, at an environment that was so drastically different to the one she had grown up in. It had been both amazing and terrifying. She wasn’t good in crowds, but she had had a mission to complete and therefor she would do anything.

Now it wasn’t as scary. It felt like coming home. As if she were a soldier that had been away for too long.

She smiled and finally looked over her shoulder at Erend, who was riding behind her. The first bridge that led into Meridian was too narrow for riding machines side by side. He offered her a smile in return and her heart fluttered within her chest.

It didn’t take them long to cross all of the bridges and to finally make it into the heart of the city, though they had had to give up their mounts in order to come in. That was understandable, considering how the people of Meridian felt about machines. She didn’t mind being on her feet, either.

She tried to ignore the many looks she received as people began to recognize her, the gasps as they realized that Aloy, the huntress and tamer of machines, was within their city after years of absence. She wondered if this was also a cause of alarm for them. After all, she had never been here without there being a crisis.

She felt a cold sweat break out across the back of her neck as they continued to walk. The noise of the city was unnerving, even if she felt like she had finally made her way home. She kept expecting something bad to happen, for someone to run up to her and ask her to do something for them.

Erend placed a hand on her shoulder and she instantly felt relief. No one would bother her while he was here. He’d stop them, she was sure. No, she _knew_ he would.

A smile tugged at her lips and she relaxed somewhat.

Eventually the Vanguard parted with Erend and her, without a single word to their Captain. Aloy thought that was odd, but perhaps that was normal for them after long trips. After all, they would want to rest up and see possible family. Erend didn’t seem to mind at all, or even notice.

“I need to report in with Avad, but I can take you to my apartment so you can rest up. If you would like.” He resisted the urge to place a hand at her lower back. To touch her in general. He was sure she wouldn’t want the strange looks the citizens were sure to give them if they saw.

Aloy considered it, finding that she was still rather tired from the trip. Did Erend’s place have a bath? Because she could really use one – if only to relieve her aches and pain. On the other hand, however, she hadn’t seen Avad in two years.

Maybe there was time to see him later, though. No, there _would_ be time to see him later. After all, she had questions for him. She needed to know if he had seen the new machines as well. However, that could wait until later.

“Yes, that sounds wonderful.” She practically breathed the sentence, her shoulders slumping in exhaustion. She had only been awake for a total of six hours, but the whole trip in general was taking its toll on her. It had seemed a lot longer than it had been.

Erend nodded his head to their right. “My apartment is this way.”

They wove their way through the streets and Aloy realized that she had never been to this part of the city. The walls of the buildings stood high, little sunlight shifting through. It was cooler than the rest of the city, much to her relief.

There were restaurants here, which Aloy had never seen before. She had _heard_ of them, but had never gone. That was for the rich people of Meridian. Aloy had always had a lot of shards – plenty to do anything she wanted – but had never had the time, and now she wondered what they were like.

Erend led her down one street and up a set of stone stairs, this part of the area was quiet, much to Aloy’s surprise. It was nice. She never would have thought that Erend would live so far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

They made another turn before Erend guided her towards a door that was set into the wall. He pulled a key out of his bag and unlocked it. He pushed the heavy wooden door open and led Aloy inside.

She was surprised with how clean and expensive everything look. It was far different than what she had pictured in her head. There was a nice living room area, with two couches facing each other, a short table set between them. Scrolls and books were laid out atop it, the only clutter she found.

There was even a rug laid out across the floor, which she found an interesting touch. There was a set of stairs that led upstairs and she figured that that was where his bedroom was.

“I’m afraid I only have one room,” Erend said as he shut the door after her, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Well, I have _two_ , but I use the second one for an office.”

She glanced back at the short table between the couch, with its mess of books. Well, if he did have an office, he didn’t use it all the time. She decided to play along regardless.

Humming, she looked towards the stairs again. “Well, you can always sleep on the couch.”

He raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely surprised. “I suppose I can.”

Aloy grinned, glancing over at him as she stepped up the stairs. “I’m injured, so I should be comfortable. Right?”

“Of course,” he was quick to agree. He didn’t seem to be catching on. “I have a bath as well. Running water and everything.”

She forgot Meridian had made it possible to get water anywhere within the city. Avad had once explained it, saying how they used a thing called ‘aqueducts’ to create running water. She had seen them before, but hadn’t thought anything of it. Her mind had always been in other places.

Now she realized how convenient it was.

She nearly slumped against the stair railing at the thought of having a long bath without the chore of having to heft water up to the tub. “Oh, that sounds wonderful,” she practically moaned.

Erend’s cheeks heated. “It’s in its own room, next to my bedroom.”

He realized that she probably didn’t know what a ‘bathroom’ was, considering that they didn’t have those in the Sacred Lands. They bathed in a portable wooden tub that they kept outside when it was going unused.

A small thought came to him and he smiled. “Hey, don’t take a bath until later, though. I will have a surprise for you.”

She raised an eyebrow at this. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Let me check in with Avad. Why don’t you settle in? My room is the second door on the left up there.” He gestured to the second story with a finger pointing to the ceiling. “Just make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back soon.”

Aloy nodded, pulling herself away from the railing, which she realized she was still leaning on. “Alright. I will see you when you get back, then.”

Erend smiled, beginning to turn towards the door again, but paused. He jogged up the stairs and to her, cupping her cheek to pull her into a brief kiss. Her cheeks heated, but she replied to the kiss regardless, pressing her lips back against his.

When he pulled away, they were both smiling.

“Okay, I’ll see you later,” he said, though he still just stood there. She nodded, reaching up to rub at the side of her neck, still smiling. He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose before finally forcing himself down the stairs and to the door.

She watched him leave, the apartment falling into a sudden silence. She inhaled a deep breath, glancing around. Well, there was no reason to keep standing on the stairs, so she began to climb them once more, making her way to the second story.

There was a small hallway with a window at the end, two doors on the wall to her left and one on the wall to her right. She remembered that Erend said his room was the second door on the left. She waltzed over to it and pushed it open, stepping inside.

She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t the room she had walked into. A large four-poster bed sat in the center of the room, accompanied by two short and stout tables on each side. There was a chest at the end of the bed, sporting a Oseram metal lock, which she assumed to hold valuables that Erend didn’t want out in plain view.

A carpet had been laid out across the floor and she yearned to take her shoes off and walk across it. But what really caught her attention was the large window on the wall across from the bed, though the wooden doors were closed to keep any weather out while Erend was away.

She dropped her bag on the floor and approached it, throwing the short wooden doors open, letting in the cool air that suddenly brushed against her. She nearly gasped upon seeing the sight before her.

The view overlooked part of the city, but mostly it overlooked the forests that led out to the more tropical places of the Sundom. She could see trees upon trees, birds and Glinthawks that soared over them, sometimes dipping down to fetch whatever it was that they desired. It was a sort of paradise that she never would have thought of seeing while within a home.

She left the window open, mystified with the view, as she sat down on the edge of Erend’s bed. The cool breeze that wafted in calmed her nerves, allowing her to finally relax in what felt like years, but had only been a few days.

She wanted to curl up on Erend’s bed and sleep, to let all of her worries fly away. His bed was so comfy, too. As if she had sat down on a cloud. So out of curiosity, she laid down atop it, and instantly let out a moan of satisfaction. Oh yes, she was _never_ getting off this bed.

It was so comfortable that she hardly even noticed that she was dozing off.

 

* * *

 

She woke up when the sun was hanging low in the sky, the city below beginning their early evening activities. Aloy felt groggy, yet comfortable. She wasn’t sure what had woken her at first, her eyes opening into slits as she tried to remember where she was and _who_ she was. By the Sun, that had been the hardest she had slept in her whole life. It took her several seconds to set her mind straight before she sat up. She _really_ didn’t want to get up. Why was she getting up?

Oh, because she had heard movement downstairs. Erend was home.

Home, that was a weird thing to think. She knew, logically, this wasn’t _her_ home, yet that thought came so naturally to her. Home. She could let this be her home if that were an option. _Especially_ if she could sleep in this bed every night.

She was rubbing at her eyes, sitting at the edge of the bed, when Erend came into the room. He carried a ribboned box in his arms, a smile at his full lips. He gave a quiet knock at the doorframe to catch her attention.

Turning, she squinted at him, eyes flickering down to the box. “Hey,” she said, curiosity picking up in her voice. “What’s that?”

“A present,” he simply told her as he walked over to the bed and held it out for her to take.

Hesitantly, she took it while eyeing him suspiciously. “Okay…” she drew out the word, unsure. He had mentioned having a surprise for her earlier. Was this the surprise?

She sat the box on her lap, examining it briefly. She almost didn’t want to untie the ribbon, as it looked so pretty, but she did anyway and set it aside. She lifted the lid off the box, peering inside.

An assortment of bottles sat within and the scent of them instantly wafted up to meet her nose. With her eyebrows raised in surprise, she looked over the contents. There were also short sticks of incense, which she picked up and sniffed at. She had seen these burning before, but had never actually looked at them up close.

She looked at the bottles next, picking them up to examine the liquids inside. There were oils and other things that she had never seen before. Soap, she realized. They had to make hard dense soap where she grew up – bricks that made your skin sting – but she had heard of the extravagant soaps the Carja used.

Her gaze flicked up to Erend, expression voicing her shock.

“I thought a girl like you deserved some pretty things,” he said, shrugging. “From what I’ve seen, girls like pretty smelling stuff.”

He wasn’t wrong. She _did_ like how this stuff smelt.

“Thank you,” she said, breathless. She never would have thought he’d do something like this for her. Well, that _anyone_ would do something like this. It was a gesture that made her feel light and warm.

She didn’t like being treated like she was special – by those that saw her as nothing other than the savior of the world – but she liked having nice things. She liked feeling like she might be like the other girls out there. It made her feel normal.

Plus, this would make her smell good like the girls in Meridian always smelt. She had always admired them for that; they always smelt so pretty and she had found herself swooning over them more than once.

Erend offered her a dorky smile that sent her heart racing. He shrugged his shoulders, as if this was no big deal. “Anyway, I have some paperwork I have to go over.”

She smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

“The bathroom is over there, if you want to try some of that stuff out,” he offered and she nodded again. There was no doubt in her mind that she would be trying this stuff out as soon as possible.

However, she sat the box down and stood, throwing her arm around Erend’s neck, wishing that she could use both to hug him. He chuckled, wrapping his own, much bigger, arms around her, and gave her a gentle squeeze.

“Thanks,” she told him again. “You’re really sweet.”

She wasn’t sure how else to tell him that she appreciated his gift beyond words. Because it _was_ sweet. He was sweet. Everything about him was so kind and she didn’t think she deserved to have him around her.

“I’d do anything for a pretty girl like you.” He kissed the side of her head as he pulled away. Looking away from her, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, I need to go do paperwork. Because, uh, being captain of the guard requires that and all.”

“Of course,” she agreed, taking a step back to teeter on her feet. “Lots of work.”

“Yep,” he chuckled.

There was a long moment of tension that made Aloy wonder if he wanted to kiss her again. She knew she would kiss him back if he _did_ kiss her. How could she not? She really did like kissing him, after all. She hardly even minded the scratch of his beard against her skin.

After a few seconds, however, he seemed to decide against it and headed towards the door. She watched him leave with her hazel eyes, a smile seemingly glued to her face. He disappeared behind the door and she turned her attention down to the box of good smelling potions. Bath potions, that’s what she was going to call them.

Scooping the box up into her arm, she carried it over to the bathroom, where she pushed open the door to examine the area. It was a small room with a tub in one corner, along with what she could only assume was what Meridian latrines were. She briefly thought about how convenient that was.

Making her way to the tub, she examined the facet system. It was a little difficult to figure out at first, but she managed. Eventually she had the water running into the tub, surprisingly warm. She wondered if it was because it had been sitting in the sun somehow, like how the creeks and ponds at home would be warm during the summer.

She let the tub fill as she stripped her clothes, having to be careful of her injuries. She took her arm out of its sling and was all too happy to be able to stretch her elbow out. She examined the brace on her arm, noting that the bruising looked far better than it had only a couple of days ago. It didn’t hurt as much as it had before, now only a dull ache.

While the tub continued to fill, she sat down on a small bench that was by the tub, pulling her box of bath potions onto her lap. She examined the incense again, finding a small box of matches as well. She decided to light a stick, setting it on its little tray to catch the ash.

She grabbed a bottle that was titled for hair and one for titled for body – though she thought it was odd that there were two different soaps to do pretty much the same thing. Still, they smelt different, so perhaps that was why. She wasn’t sure.

Once she was satisfied with her selections, she slipped into the tub and turned off the water, a grin over taking her features as the water came up to her shoulders. Yes, this was very nice. She could get used to something like this. It relieved all of her aches, making everything fade away. Even the drip of the facet was relaxing.

Humming, she sank deeper into the water, bending her legs at the knees. She hoped Erend didn’t mind if she stayed here for a while.

 

* * *

 

Erend was surprised to see Aloy come downstairs after her bath, wearing one of his shirts. The bottom hem skimmed her upper thighs, the short sleeves looking far longer on her than they did on him. The collar dipped low, showing off her pale sternum. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she waltzed into the living room, the natural sway of her hips making his throat dry. Why did she _only_ put on his shirt?

“I’m hungry,” she announced. “Do you have any food?”

He was suddenly very hungry too, but in a different sense. He swallowed hard, tearing his gaze away from her. “Yeah, in the kitchen.”

She frowned, mouthing the word. He was reminded that she probably didn’t know what a kitchen was either. Not that he blamed her; the Nora were so cut off from the rest of society – the main reason for why the Carja called them savages. While the rest of the world was growing more advanced, the Nora were stuck in their ways.

In truth, however, Aloy _had_ heard of a kitchen, but she had assumed that this was only a thing a king had. Somewhere that his servants and cooks made him feasts. She did not think that someone could have one in such a small apartment.

Erend stood from the couch, guiding her to another room that had an archway – which she wasn’t sure how she had missed – and revealed to her his kitchen. It was simple, with a counter and a sink, shelves that held his dishes. There was a stove for cooking and she found that interesting, going over to it to examine the iron thing.

Erend moved to his pantry, wondering briefly what he could make for her. He didn’t have any vegetables or fruits, since he had been gone too long for anything like that to stay fresh, but he did have meat in his ice box – another luxury that he could afford as the captain of the guard.

Watching Aloy’s constant bewilderment made him realize how accustomed he had grown to these things while living in Meridian. He remembered when he had been just as mystified. It gave everything a whole new light, reminding him of harder times.

He popped his head out of the pantry. “Hey I have some canned –” His words were cut off upon seeing Aloy bent over the stove, looking it over, with her backside facing him. She was wearing underwear, of course, but the view was marvelous regardless. He found himself suddenly stumbling over his words.

She straightened, looking over at him. “Canned what?”

His throat felt dry. “Uh, canned spiced peaches.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows, curious. “I’ve never had any before. Is it good?”

“It’s sweet, but good, yeah.” He was having a hard time keeping his eyes on her face, cheeks hot. Why was she so adorable all the time? It was making it hard to think.

She shrugged her thin shoulders. “I’ll try some.”

He grabbed a jar of the spiced fruit, carrying it out to set it on the table, only to have her scoop it up to examine it while he went to grab a bowl and a fork. “I’ll make you something else while you eat those, of course. You can’t eat _just_ peaches.”

She laughed at this, the sound light and airy. “What do you plan on making?”

“Probably some turkey or pork. What would you prefer?” He placed the bowl and fork in front of her on the table.

Aloy gave it some thought as she popped open the jar of peaches, humming to herself before taking a sniff of the jar’s contents. “We’ve had nothing but boar these past few days. I could go for some turkey.”

He nodded, though she wasn’t looking, and went to fetch some from the ice box. He hoped the ice within could cool off his face, as he was sure he was as red as a tomato. He needed to stop looking at her backside.

“I talked to Avad about that new machine,” he said as he brought the meat to the counter, grabbing a pan from a rack. Talking about important things would help, he told himself.

This seemed to make Aloy perk up with interest. “What did he say?”

“They’ve been popping up around here too.” He put the pan on the stove before unwrapping the meat and dropping it onto the cast-iron pan. “They had to kill one just yesterday.”

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line as she sat down on one of the table’s chairs. She dumped some peaches into the bowl Erend had provided for her. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“I don’t think anybody does,” Erend commented as he grabbed a shaker of combined spices. “They can scale walls, unlike the other machines. Even the Corruptor could only jump so high. These machines… they move like nothing we’ve ever seen.”

Aloy sat back in the chair, tilting her head back to stare up at the ceiling. She vaguely remembered noting how the machine had moved. Like a spider, she was reminded. “But are they more difficult to beat?”

“No,” Erend seemed to consider this. “It sounds like they’re about at the same level as a Corruptor, but without the corrupting part.”

Aloy sat still for a long time and he wondered if he had said something wrong. He glanced over his shoulder at her, finding that she was glaring at the ceiling, her hands folded in her lap. She wasn’t wearing her sling, he realized.

“What if Hades is back?” she asked in a breath. Now it was his turn to frown.

He didn’t know much about Hades, other than that it had been a threat. “You never told anyone what Hades was.” He sprinkled seasoning over the two drums of turkey sitting on the pan, beginning to sizzle. He added some oil so it wouldn’t stick.

Again, she was quiet for a while. “I guess I haven’t. I always talked to Sylens about him, but I never told anyone else. I didn’t have time.”

Erend turned to look at her, leaning against the counter. “You have plenty of time now and I am all ears.”

She glanced over at him, thankful. “I guess we do have time.”

With that, she began to tell him everything he had never known about her – starting from why she had left the Nora lands to begin with. She told him of Rost, of the Eclipse, of how she had desperately wanted to find a mother who had died long before any of them had existed. Before their _world_ had existed. She told him of the Cauldrons and how they worked. She explained GAIA and how it had been her who had made all of this possible.

Then she told him of Hades and Sylens, of her journey to recover data plans that would destroy the program turned virus.

They spent the rest of the evening speaking of things that he never would have thought of, things that were so beyond their world, yet exactly what had made their world. He had a million questions and he asked as many as he could. She answered them without irritation or tire. For once, she was happy to have someone open minded to talk to about all of this.

As the evening grew late, Aloy felt better after being able to discuss all of the things that she had had to keep to herself. She felt a weight lifted from her shoulders now that she had someone who understood. Granted, Erend hadn’t seen the things she had, but now he knew everything she did.

Some point during the evening, she had handed her Focus over to Erend so he could see the videos and date entries that she had seen over a hundred times now. He took it all in with a sort of wonder that reminded her of herself, when she had first found her Focus.

When the two of them had grown tired, they trailed upstairs, an unspoken agreement between them. While she had collapsed into the bed, he spent time undressing, as if he needed a few minutes before climbing into bed with her.

But when he did lay down beside her, it was as if they had gone to bed together a million times before. Out of growing habit, she scooted closer and nestled against his side, laying her cheek against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, finding that he liked how natural all of this felt.

He had a lot to think about, however. There was information to digest and it kept him up far longer than it did her. He wondered, while feeling her sleep against him, if she had laid awake while thinking over all of this. He _knew_ she had. Of course she would have.

Taking in a deep breath, he vowed to himself that he’d never let her go through this alone, just as she had before. He was here now and he wasn’t going to leave her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, these two should just get married at this point. Y'all already share a damn bed.  
> Also, the amount of restraint Erend has is amazing. Then again, I told him no. Mostly because I also told _myself_ that I wasn't allowed to write anymore smut scenes for a bit. Gotta move on with this thing called 'plot.' Whatever that is...


	16. Chapter 16

Her dreams ended up being haunted by images of Hades and Deathbringers that emerged from the ground and slaughtered the people she cared about. She dreamt of a wall of blood that poured like that of a waterfall, though it fell from the walls of Meridian, the screams of the Carja and Nora filling the air and turning the skies red. She brandished her spear and her shield-weaved armor, standing before an army of Deathbringers, Corruptors, and Metal Devils. They towered so high that all she could see was their metal arms, sinking into the ground with every step. She felt the vibration of it in her teeth.

She woke with a start, jumping up in bed. She was thankful that it didn’t wake Erend, as she didn’t want to explain another nightmare to him. He may have learned what she knew, but he didn’t need to share in her fears. She was tired of waking in a cold sweat, but she had grown used to it quite some time ago.

She ended up getting dressed and leaving Erend’s home to find a merchant – preferably someone who sold clothes. She hardly had anything that was decent enough to wear around Meridian and the idea of wearing the outfit from her former journey weighed heavy on her.

It didn’t take long to find a merchant, as the man displayed out expensive fabrics and clothes, advertising them to anyone who might pass by.

As she looked over the selections, she thought of all the people she should see while here. Several people came into mind.

Talanah, because she had disappeared on her Hawk with little warning. She had never actually said goodbye to her. They had merely parted.

Avad, because they had grown close during her help after the battle. He had made sure she would eat and sleep, though she had often fought it.

And lastly, Elida, because she had a fondness for the girl. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it certainly wasn’t a romantic fondness. More like… a connection.

There weren’t many people in Meridian that she knew personally, she realized. There was Vanasha, of course, but she wasn’t sure if the woman would want to see _her_. A hopeless flirt, that woman. Aloy had always felt like a blushing fool around her and she had almost taken up the offer of getting to know her better.

She was sure that the mysterious woman hadn’t stayed in Meridian. And even if she had, she doubted she’d be able to find her.

Aloy picked out an outfit that she felt was appropriate for the city, but with less of a revealing nature. Granted, her midriff would be exposed, but she hardly minded that. It would be good for her side.

She returned back to Erend’s to change, slipping on the loose pants and pleated skirt. She struggled with the top for a few moments before she figured out how to wrap it. Next she tied the golden sash around her hips and tugged on her sandals. Last came the vest, which had longer sleeves that cut off at her elbows, made of soft leather.

When she finished dressing, she examined herself in the mirror, a smirk tugging at her lips. Well, this was certainly the best she had looked in quite some time. Though, this was definitely not an outfit she could wear into the wilds. No, certainly not. But it would be comfortable for roaming about Meridian, visiting friends.

Erend rose from bed as she was strapping her spear to her back to carry with her. He squinted at her, still groggy from sleep. “What’s the spear for?”

“I’m going to visit some friends,” she stated, checking the brace on her arm. She should put her sling on, she thought, but the idea of it sounded very bleh.

Erend grunted, heading towards the kitchen. “You don’t need your spear, though. What’s going to attack you in Meridian?”

“You never know,” she grumbled, a sudden unease shifting its weight onto her.

He glanced at her, understanding crossing his features, though he did not say anything more on the matter. Best to not push her, he decided. “Who are you going to visit? Not that you _have_ to tell me. That’s your business. I’m just curious.”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I was thinking of checking on Elida.”

“Who?” he was in the kitchen, pouring water into a glass.

Walking over to the doorway, she leaned against the frame, watching him from the distance. She let her gaze roam over his body, admiring him briefly. He was wearing a pair of loose trousers and a sleeveless shirt. She watched his throat bob as he drank the water.

“She’s a girl I met here in Meridian,” she finally said. “She’s a couple of years younger than me and I helped her with some personal things.”

Erend glanced over at her, raising his eyebrows. He couldn’t help being curious, but he didn’t want to question her. He didn’t want to sound as if he was demanding to know everything she was doing or had done. “Well, I hope you have fun seeing her. I think visiting a friend will be good for you. Y’know, since you’re a savage warrior woman who hides herself away in the mountains.”

Aloy snorted, but smiled nonetheless as his joke. “Well, aren’t you a bit snobby, Mr. Captain of the Vanguard.”

He winked. “Always. I’m a bigshot, after all.”

“Only to women desperate enough,” she snickered, turning away to head towards the door.

Erend watched her walk away, his eyes trailing down her body, taking in her new outfit – especially how the skirt swayed with her hips. “Hey, I’ll see you later, right? You’re not going to run off on me now, are ya?”

She looked over her shoulder at him as she opened the door. “I might. You never know. I _am_ a terribly adventurous girl.”

They shared a smile before she disappeared behind the door, closing it behind her. He chuckled, shaking his head. She was by far the only woman that could tease him and make his heart race with a sort of excitement that made him grin like a lovesick fool. She certainly did make things interesting.

 

* * *

 

Aloy wasn’t sure what to expect when she knocked on the door to Elida’s home. It was a large estate and Aloy had always wondered why anyone would need this much space – especially when it was just a man and his daughter. And of course their dozen servants.

One of the said servants answered the door and Aloy offered the woman an awkward smile. The woman gasped upon seeing her, eyes wide with wonder. Aloy wished she wouldn’t do that.

“Um, is Elida home?” she asked, shifting uncomfortably.

It seemed to take the woman a staggering moment to form words before she decided to just guide Aloy into the building. The redhead followed after the woman, looking around with her own sort of wonder. She had never been within the home, only the garden. Now she marveled at the richly designed interior, finding that it held perhaps too much decoration. Yet it was exquisite all the same.

She was led to an indoor garden that was hidden behind one of the many doors. Aloy marveled at this as well, her gaze roaming the bright sunroom and all of its exotic plants. At least, they were exotic to her. Perhaps not to the Carja.

The woman left her, closing the door and leaving Aloy there. Not that the redhead minded; Elida was in here somewhere.

It didn’t take long to find the young woman, though Aloy tried to not quiet her steps so that she would not startle her. She found her bent over a table that held burlap sacks of soil and terracotta pots. She seemed to be repotting flowers and herbs, her entire focus on the task.

Aloy cleared her throat, a smile tugging at her lips.

Elida spun, startled by the sound despite the redhead’s attempt to not startle her. Almost instantly, her surprise was replaced by excitement. “Aloy!”

Aloy was shocked when Elida rushed forward and threw her arms around her, hugging her close. She wrapped her good arm around the girl’s waist, finding that she was warm and soft. She had never actually hugged her before. They had grown close after the battle for Meridian, while the two of them had stood side by side as they handed out food and other essentials to those who needed it, but she had never actually embraced the younger girl.

“H-hey,” the redhead stumbled over the simple world, still taken aback. She noted that Elida smelt like honeysuckle and the sun, her dark blonde hair tickling her cheek.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Elida said, breathless as she pulled away. “I thought you had disappeared. No one could tell me where you had gone.”

Aloy gave a nervous laugh, her cheeks hot. “I returned home. For a bit. I guess I’m back, though. Can’t stay away from the City of the Sun for too long.”

Elida still had her hands on Aloy’s shoulders, looking her over now. Concern flashed across her sweet features, eyebrows pinching together. “What happened to your arm? And your side?!”

Aloy shrugged. “A run in with an angry machine.”

She didn’t want to worry the young woman with the news of there being a new machine – a new enemy that she could not explain. Elida wasn’t sheltered, she knew; the girl had found her way into the wilds as well, even if she had had someone to protect her. She certainly was not a girl afraid to get her hands dirty, however.

Elida shook her head as she frowned, seeming to not like the small explanation. She hugged the redhead again, taking Aloy by surprise once more. “You need to be more careful. I know you’re a tough savior of the world, but you’re only human.”

Again, Aloy gave an awkward laugh, patting Elida’s back. She wasn’t sure what to make of all the hugs. Did people really miss her that much? She was unfamiliar with it.

When Elida pulled away, she took Aloy’s hand into both of hers. “Will you stay for lunch? I would love to hear of what you have been doing these past two years.”

Aloy’s cheeks were red with a blush. “Uh, there isn’t much to tell.”

“But I will listen regardless,” she guided Aloy towards the door. “At least visit for a little bit. I have missed you.”

A crooked smile pulled at the redhead’s lips. “Okay. That _is_ why I came, after all.”

Elida giggled as she pulled the woman out of the room and towards where Aloy assumed the dining room was. Elida kept Aloy’s hand in her own and the redhead realized how soft they were, despite how often the girl worked in her garden.

“How are _you_ , Elida?” Aloy asked, once again looking around at her surroundings. It felt weird to have her hand held, as if she were like the other Carja girls, who held hands with their best friends and giggled about their crushes.

“I’m, well…I’m alright. Father still treats me like a little girl, but he is more understanding than he used to be. He listens to me now, at least. Life has become…quiet, I suppose.” She sighed, as if that was the most boring thing she had ever said. “Seeing you has been the most exciting thing to happen in a while.”

Aloy tried not to laugh at that, but the sound bubbled to her lips regardless. “I’m not terribly exciting, so I apologize… that sounds horrible.”

Elida looked over at her, a smile gracing her glossy lips. “You’re far more exciting than the snobby nobles that my family requires me to be around.”

Aloy pursed her lips, considering that. Yes, she decided, she was far more entertaining than that. At least she didn’t drone on and on about politics. She’d rather roll around in the dirt with a Scrapper.

That gave her an idea.

She paused, stopping them in the middle of the hall. “Instead of lunch...why don’t we go on a walk? Or perhaps a ride.”

Elida stared at Aloy for a long moment before understanding crossed her features, surprise making her eyes wide. “Wait, are you suggesting –”

“Yeah,” Aloy was quick to say. She took a step backwards, tugging on Elida’s hand. “Can’t you spare a few hours with the ‘ _savior of the world?’_ ” A mischievous smile flashed across her face, mocking the title that the younger girl had called her.

Elida, cheeks flushed, took a few seconds to consider. With a smile that followed an exasperated sigh, she agreed. “But don’t tell Father.”

“Of course,” Aloy purred, excitement flaring up in her chest. “He doesn’t even need to know I was here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short. The next chapter is going to be longer, though.  
> I actually really like Elida and was excited to bring her into the story. She's actually going to be an important character to the story. Beside, like, being a source of jealousy for Erend. ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿
> 
> Next chapter will feature Aloy and Elida going on an adventure.


	17. Chapter 17

Elida spent the first hour on Fanas squealing and giggling as Aloy showed her how to ride the machine. She never quite got the hang of it, so eventually Aloy ended up getting on the machine, sitting in front of her to allow the younger girl to wrap her arms around her waist. She was careful of her side, making sure to not squeeze too tight. Not that Aloy would have minded; her side was hurting less and less every day.

At first Aloy started Fanas off at a smooth trot, but slowly increased the speed of the strider until they were racing down the roads of the tropical forest, far past the Spire – which the redhead refused to look up at. Elida clutched desperately to Aloy at first, yet settled into quiet giggling as they continued. Aloy found a sort of pride in that.

The thrill of riding a running machine reminded her of better days, spent feeling the wind in her hair and the smell of the hunt in the air. She didn’t think she would have forgetting the rush of euphoria she got from this. It made it all the better that she was able to show someone else this – someone who never would have tried it otherwise.

She felt stronger with Elida there, as if she could take on the world again. Perhaps it was the hero in her, having someone she had protected at her side. She felt responsible for someone and it was not a feeling that she entirely disliked.

It was nice to share her fascination of the machines with Elida, as she seemed to have a new appreciation of them. It was a different experience to what she was used to, bringing a distraction to the things that were bothering her.

As the day grew old, Aloy returned Elida to her home, though the younger girl seemed hesitant to let the redhead leave.

“May I see you again soon?” she asked, the two of them standing within Elida’s garden.

Aloy rubbed at the back of her neck, a smile pulling at her lips. “Sure. I’ll be staying in Meridian for a while.”

“Next week?” Elida asked, though she hoped to not push her luck. After all, she was not sure if Aloy would consider her a friend.

“Sure,” the redhead repeated, taking a step back. “But I have to get going. I’m hoping to meet Erend for dinner.” She had told Elida a bit about him, but it seemed the younger girl already knew him – not intimately, but she had heard plenty of him within Meridian.

Elida nodded her understanding. “Thanks for today. It was certainly more exciting than I thought it would be.”

Aloy smirked. “Of course.”

With a friendly farewell, the girls parted. Aloy hopped onto her strider and headed back towards Meridian. Though, once again she had to leave poor Fanas at the stables where Erend’s and the Vanguards’ Broadheads stayed.

She considered perhaps going back to Erend’s to see if he had returned from his Captain duties, but decided against it. It wasn’t too late and the two could get dinner later. Instead she went to the Hunter’s Lodge to see Talanah.

Walking there took most of her energy, as she was already exhausted from the long day with Elida, but she managed to make her way to the entrance of the Lodge. However, she was almost instantly informed that her Hawk had gone on a hunting trip several days earlier and would not be back for some time.

Well… that was a disappointment. Can’t win them all, she reminded herself.

Now the only person left to see was Avad, but she certainly wasn’t ready to see him after her long day. Surely, he would want to sit and speak with her for some time. She wasn’t sure she would have the energy for such a task. She was tired enough as is.

So she returned to Erend’s, only to find that he was not home. She huffed, wondering where he was, as she flopped down on one of his couches. She laid there, her hands resting on her abdomen, and closed her eyes.

It didn’t take her long to doze off, taking a short nap while she waited for Erend to get home. Maybe then they could go and get something to eat.

 

* * *

 

Except Erend didn’t come home until much later, drunk no less. The sound of him stumbling into the apartment had jarred her from sleep, causing her to jump up, grabbing for her spear. As she adjusted to the waking world, she realized it was just him. She scooted off the couch, watching him stagger as he shut the front door.

When he turned, he seemed surprised to see her there. A sloppy grin overtook his features. “Aloy,” he drug out her name in a long slur, swaying on his feet.

“You’re drunk,” she stated, as if it weren’t already obvious.

“Nah,” he laughed. “Just a little bit to take off the edge of the day.”

She stepped forward, holding out her arm as if preparing to catch him. “Erend, this isn’t taking off the _edge_. You’re drunk off your ass. Well, _nearly_.”

He reached forward and booped her on the nose. “You’re not allowed to judge me.”

She huffed, her nose wrinkling in disapproval. He pushed past her, heading towards the stairs. For a moment, she wasn’t sure how he was going to climb them, but he managed nonetheless. Much to her astonishment.

Trailing after him, she vowed that she was just going to make sure he didn’t end up falling over. He seemed to be walking alright, even if he did need to support himself by pressing his hand into the wall every few seconds. She frowned, keeping behind him in case he tipped backwards.

He entered his bedroom and went to the bed to sit down. She stood by the doorway, watching him struggle with taking off his armor. She wondered how many times he had failed to do so and had ended up sleeping in it.

She wasn’t against drinking. She really wasn’t. But she _was_ against getting this drunk. No one needed their head that fogged, though she wondered as to why Erend did it.

He managed to get his armor off, flopping down onto the bed with a loud groan. He turned his gaze to her, a lazy expression on his face. He held out a hand to her. At first, she didn’t want to go to him. She wanted to leave him in his drunken state and go sleep downstairs. Maybe leave the apartment to get some food.

But he looked so sad when she did not come right away, instead withdrawing his hand and turning his gaze to the ceiling, a frown settling onto his features. Then he said something that made her heart ache within her chest; “You’re too good for me. Sometimes I forget. Why are you here, Aloy?”

She felt herself swallow hard, unable to look over at him. She didn’t have an answer for him. She wasn’t sure why she was here and now he had her questioning it. She liked him, yes, but was that the only reason she was here? No. She was here because she had felt a danger in Nora that she had not wanted to face. Staying with Erend was the safest option.

“I…I don’t know.” She practically breathed the words, her heart fluttering relentlessly within her chest.

Erend didn’t look at her, still frowning at the ceiling. Silence filled the room for a long time before he grumbled, “Okay.”

She knew that she would not be spending that night in his bed.

 

* * *

 

The next few days were a blur of Aloy attempting to ignore all of the sudden stress that had been placed on her. She had visited Avad, to find that he had finally married and that his wife was expecting their first child – though they had only just found out such a thing. She had congratulated him and was introduced to his wife, who was everything Aloy would not have expected. She half wondered if he had married out of political reasons.

When they got a moment alone, she asked him of the new machines. He told her what Erend had already told her; they didn’t know where they were coming from, other than over the mountains, far past anyone had ever gone. They were becoming an infestation upon the land, just as the corruptors had, save for the fact that they couldn’t actually cause any corruption.

That was something Aloy was thankful for, at least. But she wished she had had more information, other than just knowing that these machines were popping up like daisies in the spring.

She ended up leaving the Sun King feeling more confused than she had felt before they had spoken. There weren’t any answers for her questions and that bothered her immensely.

Instead of dealing with it, however, Aloy found herself going over to Elida’s. She’d pop in announced, only to be greeted with the utmost excitement. It wasn’t the type of excitement like that of the people when they saw her – treating her as the ‘huntress and tamer of the machines,’ the ‘savior of Meridian.’ It was the excitement of a friend seeing another friend.

Which was odd enough in itself for Aloy.

Yet, Elida somehow made her feel safe in a way she hadn’t expected. Elida was somehow an escape from her worries. She could do things with Elida that she couldn’t do with anyone else. Like…be a _girl_.

Aloy had never been discouraged in being a girl, but it wasn’t as if she had grown up around other girls. Not that she hadn’t seen how the Nora girls were with each other. There was a type of bond between women that she knew she would never have with a man. A type of understanding.

Rost had never told her she _couldn’t_ act like a girl. Actually, he had encouraged it when she was younger. Perhaps that was because she had grown up within an area that believed women were sacred.

She remembered how Rost had taught her how to make flower crowns when she was around four. She remembered his gentle laughter as he showed her how to weave them together and when she would destroy them with her baby hands.

Now that she knew Rost’s past, she wondered if perhaps he had learned how to do such things from his wife and daughter. When she thought of that, she’d clutch to the talisman that he had given to her, which she kept around her neck at all times, hidden under her clothes.

Doing things with girls was an entirely different experience. She felt silly at first when she would ask Elida questions that she assumed to be common knowledge – like why there were two different soaps for one’s hair and body.

Elida was always understanding, and explained everything that she could. She liked the questions that Aloy asked, it seemed. Aloy found herself constantly thankful that Elida was only two years younger than herself.

Since Vala, she hadn’t been able to be around a girl that was close to her age.

Aloy often looked at Elida and remembered that she and her weren’t so different in their losses. Neither of them talked about it, however. They focused on much happier subjects.

Elida had picked up an interest in the machines and Aloy showed her how to tame her own strider. She was ecstatic when she was finally able to ride the machine without Aloy’s help. The two ended up spending days riding around the forest, laughing and dodging other machines.

Nearly a month went by like this, without Aloy’s knowledge. Eventually she was able to take off the brace on her arm and use it once more. Thank the Sun. She felt so much better now that she could use all of her body without pain. Granted, her arm was still tender, but at least she could hold her spear with both hands.

Erend and her had become… complicated.

Things weren’t the same after that first drunken night. She wasn’t sure what had started it all, as it had happened out of the blue, yet now there was a constant air of awkwardness around the two. Erend had given Aloy his room, out of politeness, but she felt guilty for it and considered perhaps finding somewhere else to stay.

Erend came home most nights drunk, though Aloy was growing used to it. She hardly spent any time within the apartment unless she was going to bed. She attempted to offer for him to sleep in the bed with her, but he would give a grunt and wave the suggestion off.

That was more than a little disheartening. She wanted to know what she had done. She had _opened up_ to him. She had told him things she had never told anyone else, yet this was how he was going to be? She didn’t understand it.

But by the Sun, she wasn’t going to sit there and mope. She gave him attitude, frustration, and eventually threatened to leave if he didn’t tell her what was wrong.

He only shook his head and walked away. This only drove her mad. She was positive that he was drunk all the time now, even while on the job. Perhaps that was the Oseram way. Fuck the Oseram way.

This only made her spend more time with Elida. At one point, while hearing about her struggles with Erend, the younger girl offered for Aloy to stay with her. At first Aloy was unsure. What would Elida’s father think? Elida had assured that he would be more than happy to have her stay for a bit.

Aloy almost declined the offer, yet decided against it. Elida and her had grown close in a way that she had never been close to anyone else. After the third time that she suggested it, Aloy finally gave in.

Which caused a small fight to ensue between her and Erend.

He had come home to her packing up to leave. She didn’t possess many things, allowing her to put everything into her bag without issue. He had walked into the room with a frown, rapping his knuckles gently on the doorframe to catch her attention.

“What’s going on?” he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Well,” she huffed haughtily. “Since you seem to suddenly hate my presence, I’m going to stay with a friend.”

He pressed his lips into a thin line, looking away from her. “I don’t hate your presence, Aloy.”

She turned on him then, spinning around on her heels. “Then what is it?! One moment we’re kissing and hugging, then the next you’re acting as if I’m a burden that’s been thrust upon you!”

Erend grit his teeth. “I’m going through a rough time right now.”

“So that’s an excuse to drown yourself in drink and come back here to treat me like this?” she demanded, crossing her arms under her bust.

He sighed, reaching up to rub at a cheek. “Listen, it’s really not the time for this. Please just stay.”

She shook her head, exasperated. She grabbed her bag, tugging the strap onto her shoulder. She walked up to the door and stood face to face with him. “I miss the Erend who traveled here with me. I don’t know what is going on and I don’t like it. When you feel up to the task of telling me, I’m sure it won’t be too hard to find me.”

With this, she shoved past him and made her way down the stairs. She felt her chest ache when he didn’t run after her to explain himself. He stayed silent behind her and she couldn’t help slamming the door loudly as she stormed out of the apartment.

 

* * *

 

Aloy was good at not crying. She was good at holding it in to put on a façade of being alright. She did just that when she arrived at Elida’s, though the other young woman could instantly tell there was something wrong, despite Aloy’s acting. Still, she led the redhead to her new room, keeping close to her.

“I don’t mean to pry,” she began once they were within the room, the door closing behind them. She watched Aloy drop her bag and weapons onto the bed. “But are you alright, Aloy?”

She liked the sound of her name on Elida’s lips. It wasn’t ‘ _Aloy the Anointed,’ ‘Aloy of the Nora,’_ or ‘ _Aloy the Savior of Meridian._ ’ She was just… Aloy.

Turning to look at Elida, she smiled. “I am now. Thank you, Elida.”

Relief took over the blonde’s features before she stepped forward to hug Aloy. It seemed she liked doing that a lot. It was something that was becoming a habit and Aloy couldn’t help but realize that it had become a habit to hug Erend as well.

Jerking out of the younger girl’s arms, she gripped Elida by her biceps. “Heh, would you like to get something to eat? Let me take you out.”

Surprised, but not insulted, Elida stared at Aloy. “Oh…um, sure.”

“Great. C’mon.” She grabbed her spear and gestured for her to follow.

 

* * *

 

Aloy took Elida to a bar, much to the surprise of the richer woman. Not that she had never been in a bar, but she never would have thought _Aloy_ would take her to one. The older girl always seemed more controlled, with a strong dislike of crowds. Yet she tugged Elida into the bar, her mere presence drawing attention to the two, not that she seemed to mind in the current moment. Or she was ignoring it.

She brought Elida to one of the tables, flopping down onto the bench. Elida sat down on the opposite end, glancing around with an expression of curiosity. She hadn’t been to this bar. It was for soldiers, travelers, and merchants. It certainly was not a place Elida would have found herself in with any of her other friends.

It was one of the things that made Aloy so exciting.

A bar maiden came up to take their orders and Elida looked to the redhead for help, not sure what they served. Aloy was quick to ask the bar maid, leaning her elbows on the table as she listened. Once they had heard all of the options, they ordered their meals and two pints of beer.

“So we’re drinking tonight?” Elida looked over at the redhead with a sly smile.

Aloy shrugged, feigning innocence. “Do you not drink?”

“I occasionally drink. Father wouldn’t like it, but he never knows.” She mocked the shrug of Aloy’s shoulders.

Drumming her fingers against the table top, Aloy pressed her lips into a line to hide her smile, playing out a small beat with her fingers. “Okay so,” she said, hoping to start some sort of conversation that would make her stop thinking of Erend. “I heard that there’s a festival of sorts coming up. What’s that about? I don’t know much about Carja traditions.”

Elida offered up a smile. “It’s the Midspring festival. I think you might like it.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows in interest. “Continue.”

Their pints of beer were brought to them just before Elida began to explain what the festival was about. All of Meridian would gather to celebrate Midspring, which was technically just _mid-spring_ , from what Aloy had gathered. Apparently, there were all sorts of festivities that happened during this celebration. The streets would be decorated and full of colors, merchants gathering around to sell all sorts of things. There would be dancing and music, and of course drinking.

Elida explained how it was to celebrate the beginning of the Sun’s gift of longer days, before summer began. Aloy thought that was quite odd, but didn’t question it. It sounded interesting, at least.

“My favorite part,” Elida continued. “Is when all of us young women make intricate flower crowns. It’s only for those of us who do not have lovers.” She hesitated for a moment, thinking of Atral and how she had celebrated in the past. “Or those who have someone they wish to be with.”

Aloy was listening intently, sipping from her mug.

“At the end of the night, when the moon is high in the sky, we take the crowns to the large pond just past the village. We take candles and set them within the crowns and let them float on the water. Where they end up and how long they stay afloat is a sign as to how your love life will be.” Elida sighed dreamily. “It’s an old tradition.”

The redhead couldn’t help but to quirk an eyebrow. She wanted to say how a floating flower crown couldn’t possibly determine one’s life in any form, but the idea of popping Elida’s bubble brought a bitter taste to her mouth.

“That sounds interesting,” she said instead. Because it _was_ interesting, even if she did not believe in such things. Just like how she thought the Banuk were interesting, but would never actually believe in anything they taught.

Elida turned her silver eyes to Aloy, a sweet smile tugging at her lips. “It probably sounds silly to a Nora, huh?”

Aloy laughed, the sound short and curt. “No. Trust me, even the Nora’s customs are weird to me. But just because I don’t believe in something, doesn’t mean I don’t respect what others believe. Everything is up to your own interpretation.” Except science, but she wasn’t going to say that.

The blonde seemed to find a sort of peace and comfort with this. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I guess so.”

Their meals were brought to them and Aloy let Elida continue to explain how the flower crown ritual worked, to which the redhead listened to with an open mind. She smiled at certain things Elida said, the lilt in her words when she got excited. She wished she could get excited about stuff like that still. The world had ruined her too much for her to find a thrill in what she used to.

That was a dark thought, she realized. She needed to focus solely on what the younger girl was saying. That would keep her nightmarish thoughts away.

 

* * *

 

After dinner, the two ditched the bar and headed out towards Elida’s home. Well, they had begun to head that way, but then Elida told Aloy how she wanted to show her the pond where they would set the flower crowns at and the alcohol was already messing with Aloy’s head. She nodded in agreement, allowing the girl to lead her towards the forest.

She didn’t stumble like Erend did. She didn’t sway or slur her words. She just felt light, letting Elida lead her through the forest and down paths she did not think she had ever taken. Elida clutched to her hand, their fingers intertwined. She felt like all of her senses were buzzing.

There was a gazebo by the pond, reminding Aloy of another place that was similar to this, though the water space had not nearly been this big. Frogs and crickets chirped at them as they stepped onto the gazebo, the spring air meeting them and brushing their hair against their cheeks.

It was warm out and Aloy was thankful for that, as she wasn’t wearing anything that would keep her from the cold. Elida wore a pair of trousers that hugged her legs, along with a loose sleeveless shirt, a sash tied tight around her waist. She wasn’t wearing her headdress, instead letting her short dark blonde hair remain down and unbothered.

Aloy thought she was pretty. She brushed that thought away, instead leaning against the railing of the gazebo to stare out at the water. “It’s beautiful,” she commented. How were there no Snapmaws here?

“It is,” Elida agreed, leaning against the railing beside Aloy. Their biceps brushed and Aloy felt goosebumps rise on her arm.

She couldn’t look at Elida, instead gazing intently at a lily pad that had a frog on it. “We don’t have anything like this where I live. Or, lived. I don’t know where I belong now.” Was this the alcohol talking? She wasn’t sure.

Looking over at her, Elida took Aloy in. Truly looking at her. “You belong wherever you decide to call home. You could have any place you wanted.”

She thought back to Erend. “Yeah,” she muttered. “I don’t think so.”

Elida bumped her shoulder with her own. “Selfishly, I want you to make Meridian your home so that I can see you as often as this.”

Aloy reached up to tuck a lock of her red hair behind her ear. “We’ll see.”

Stepping back from the railing, Elida teetered on her heels for a moment, seeming to consider something. However, she made up her mind quickly, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “Want to swim? It’s late and no one will come out here and see us.”

It _was_ warm out and she was sure the water would be warm too. Aloy swallowed hard, flicking on her Focus to scan the area. Well, Elida was right; there was no one around.

Perhaps it was the alcohol driving her choices, but Aloy agreed. She didn’t look at Elida as the two of them stripped down to their bottom underwear, breasts exposed to the wild. Aloy didn’t feel as shy as she thought she would, however.

She backed away from the edge of the gazebo, where it dropped off into the water, before giving it a running start. She gave a ‘ _woo!_ ’ as she jumped, cannonballing into the water. When she resurfaced, she heard Elida laughing. She whipped her hair back, realizing that she could touch the bottom of the pond with her toes, if she really stretched.

Elida jumped in after her and Aloy laughed as she shielded her face from the water that splashed up. When the younger girl surfaced again, she playful raised her feet and shoved Aloy.

Laughing, Aloy dove at the girl and the two fell back underwater. Their bodies twisted for a moment and Elida shoved against Aloy again, though to pushed herself back up to the surface. Aloy joined her a few seconds later, though she floated on her back, lazily using her legs and arms to pushed herself further into the area of the pond.

Elida swam after her, her body moving just as fluidly as Aloy’s. She met up with the redhead and draped her arms over the older girl’s abdomen, keeping herself afloat. Aloy laughed quietly, attempting to keep afloat with the added weight.

“It’s deep over here,” Elida reasoned with a smirk. “I can’t touch my feet to the bottom.”

Aloy hadn’t noticed that, as she had been too busy floating on her back. She turned now to test Elida’s words, as she was perhaps an inch taller than the girl. She stretched her feet, attempting to touch the ground. She couldn’t. “What? Are you a bad swimmer?” she asked in a tease.

“I am an _excellent_ swimmer, thank you very much.” She paused and frowned, her feet bumping something. She stepped up onto the smooth surface, standing up on it slightly. Now the water’s surface was just over the tops of her breasts. “Well, there’s a rock here to stand on if we get –”

Said rock suddenly shifted under her and she teetered before diving away from it in panic. Aloy frowned in confusion as Elida let out a startled yelp. “Wait, Elida, what –”

Suddenly Elida was yanked under the water and Aloy’s eyes went wide. She only hesitated for a second before she dove under, flicking on her Focus in the same moment. She saw Elida, but she also saw the new machine that had been popping up.

Her Focus finally gave it a name, flashing it across her screen: FAS-STC5 NEITH.

She swam closer and grabbed hold of Elida, attempting to tug her from the machine’s grip. The machine only pulled itself further out of the ground it had been buried in, its long limbs stabbing into the wet earth. She could _hear_ the sound of its movement, even in the fuzziness of the water.

Aloy grabbed at its metal claws, where it held onto Elida’s leg. She pried them apart with all of her strength while the machine grabbed at her own limbs. She felt some of her breath leave her in the form of bubbles that soared upwards. She finally freed Elida’s leg and the girl was quick to kick up to the surface.

She both saw and felt the machine moving closer to her, beginning to raise from the water. Aloy clawed at the metal appendage that held her. She squirmed out of it and pushed herself up to the surface gasping for breath.

Water splashed around her as the machine moved, the ends of its sharp limbs thrusting into the water in an attempt to stab Aloy. When it missed, she pressed her feet to the appendage and used it to kick off of, propelling herself far from the creature before swimming to shore.

As soon as she was on her feet, she looked over at Elida, who was standing on the gazebo – where she had left both her clothes and weapons. Elide had her spear in her hands.

“Aloy! Here!” she tossed the weapon to her and Aloy caught it. She spun just in time to see the Neith coming at her with a humming sound as it charged up the turret on its head.

She made ready to dodge, shouting for Elida to get under cover. But the machine never fired, only sounding odd, loud, clicks.

It didn’t have any bullets, she realized.

The machine hardly hesitated before it was charging at her. She rolled out of the way when two of its clawed limbs slammed into the ground in succession.

“Oh, you’re dead now,” Aloy growled out, her Focus picking up the Neith’s weak points. As she had noted before, the joints of its legs and its ammo pack were good targets. But the new thing that she noticed was that it had a weak underbelly. The whole thing, like all of the FAS machines, was weak to fire. But she didn’t have any fire arrows with her and didn’t have time to get any.

Spear it was, then.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope that I did Elida's character justice. Also, I'm kinda nervous for how Erend is acting right now because it's _slightly_ out of character, but it will make sense later. I doubt anyone could stay as chipper as Erend always seems. I mean, he has a drinking problem for a reason, outside of it being custom in Oseram culture. Anyway, I hope that he doesn't seem _too_ out of character.
> 
> And on another note; I finally have a name for the new machine!! Neith, is the name for an Egyptian goddess who is known for being a 'weaver of destiny,' and she is often associated with spiders (which is what this machine vaguely looks like). Most of FAS machines are named after Egyptian things, so I wanted to stick to that and the closest I could get to 'spider' was Neith.  
> It has a few pronunciations, but my favorite is "N-IY-TH."  
> I _know_ that the FAS machine names are not related to how they look, but I honestly couldn't think of anything else. I mean... what does a Scarab have to do with the Corruptor? It's a dung beetle....(Unless I'm missing something?) At least Khopesh and Horus make sense in terms of the meaning behind them.


	18. Chapter 18

Aloy felt far too exposed, what with nothing but her underwear on – her chest, thighs, and arms bare to the world. An easy, unprotected, target. Still, she brandished her spear with confidence as the machine bared down on her, thrusting its sharp claws towards her. It didn’t move like any machine she had ever fought. Even Corruptors had a way of moving, but it seemed that this beast had no pattern, no predictability.

Its drills would dig into the earth with every step, puncturing like the tip of a knife in meat. It advanced on her as she ducked behind trees and bushes, hoping to lure it into a place where moving would become difficult for it. Within the trees was her best option.

The Neith was big enough to rip apart anything that stood in its path, but it wasn’t as strong as a Deathbringer, therefor it would be easier to defeat. Or so Aloy was hoping.

Once she had the thing within the limitation of the trees, she rushed at it, dodging one of its drills before diving the blade of her spear under the knot on one of its tendrils, popping the protective armor off.

The machine smacked her away and her teeth clacked together as her back knocked against a tree trunk. Shaking it off, she dodged another blow. Too many hits and she was sure she wouldn’t be able to get up again.

But damn it, she had faced off against a Thunderjaw. This machine should be nothing. So why was her heart hammering relentlessly – not because of the adrenalin of a fight, but of fear? She wanted to run away instead of fighting it. She wanted to grab Elida and run.

They wouldn’t be able to get out if they _did_ try running, though.

Getting close to this thing was harder than she thought and she wished she would have brought her bow along with her this evening. At least she had brought her spear.

She pulled her spear back before swinging it hard against one of the Neith’s legs. It stumbled and she didn’t give it a chance to stabilize itself before she was knocking her spear against one of its other legs. It went down, hard.

The earth shook momentarily when it fell, but Aloy hardly hesitated, running to the front of it to dive the blade of her spear into its one red eye. The machine whirred as one of its limbs came up in attempt to strike her. She dodged and rolled away from the hit, her knees and forearms getting scratched up.

She slid to a stop, holding herself like an animal who had been cornered, one palm pressed against the earth as she held out her spear. A snarl tugged at her lips as the Neith used its four remaining legs to propel itself up.

Taking in a steadying breath, she let it lunge towards her. Readying her spear, she hunched down. All four drilled limbs stabbed into the ground around her before she thrust her spear up, getting it under the edge of the compartment under its belly. With one sharp downward jerk, the metal screeched with protest before popping off.

She wasn’t lucky enough to get a second strike in, as the Neith grabbed her by the leg and flung her away. She landed against a tree again, her ears ringing as her head cracked back against the trunk. Her vision blurred as she fell to her hands and knees, disoriented.

Shaking it off, Aloy grabbed for her spear as she heard the whirs of the machine as it readied itself to jump at her. Again, she let it.

Its head slammed into the tree, as she suspected, but its drilled legs crushed into the earth around her, barely piecing her skin. She quickly dove her spear blade up into the mess of wires that had previously been covered by the metal plating. She twisted and sparks stung at her arms and face as she winced.

She dove out from under the machine as it shut off. She managed to get out of the way fast enough before it collapsed. Gasping for breath, she watched its metal body settle, sparks flying and a remaining whir that was slowly dying off.

“Aloy!” Elida called as she came running over. She was limping slightly, but she was dressed again, though she was missing the sash around her waist. “Are you alright?!”

The redhead looked down at herself, realizing that she was, for the most part, alright. She was covered in machine oil and sweat, her knees and forearms both bruised and scraped terribly. But she was alive and without broken bones, so she considered this a win.

“Yes,” she breathed, looking up at Elida as the girl came to a skidding stop beside her. She watched the blonde fall to her knees, searching her over for herself. “Elida, I’m okay.”

Mentally, she felt like she’d just been hit with a train. But physically she was only somewhat sore.

“By the Sun, I thought you were going to get terribly hurt. I can’t believe you just took down a machine while _naked_.” Elida sounded out of breath, panic still prominent on her face. Aloy reached up to squeeze her shoulder.

“Not entirely naked,” she chuckled, hoping to lighten her own unease. She pushed herself up off the ground, taking in a shaky breath. She glanced over at Elida, taking her in. Her gaze fell to her left ankle, her eyes going wide. “You’re ankle. Are you alright?”

Elida glanced down at it, as if just noticing. “It’s probably from when it grabbed me.”

“Can you walk alright?” Aloy held out a hand, as if worried the younger girl might tip over.

Rotating her foot, she nodded. “Yeah. It’s sore, but not too bad.”

Aloy nodded, relieved. She motioned for Elida to follow her back to the gazebo, where she began to pull her clothes back on. Elida held her spear for her as she did so, looking around anxiously.

“You seem…awfully calm about this.” The blonde swallowed hard, turning her grey eyes to the older girl.

Aloy straightened herself, glancing around, lips pressed into a thin line. “You’ll never be a good hunter if you’re just as afraid as your prey.”

Elida stared at her with wide eyes, clutching to the redhead’s spear. She stood in both wonder and worry. The way Aloy said this was with such stillness, as if she were repeating a phrase that she had heard far too often. A robotic response.

“Let’s go home,” she finally managed to say, reaching forward to touch Aloy’s arm.

“I need to look at that machine first,” Aloy said, jerking away from her touch. She snatched her spear from her and headed towards the fallen Neith, now that she was rightfully dressed.

Crouching beside it, she laid down her spear to search through it, examining the parts that she recognized and those that she didn’t. It had the very same makings of a Faro machine, though that wasn’t much of a surprise.

She hoped to find some sort of answer within the machine, but there was absolutely nothing to go off of. She knew now just about as much as before. She huffed in irritation, pushing away from the machine to stand.

“It’s useless for information,” she ground out through her teeth. “Where are they coming from?”

Elida was leaning on a tree behind her, keeping weight off her injured ankle. “Maybe it had been under the water that whole time,” she suggested. “Just…waiting for some sort of signal to wake up. Like when I touched it.”

Aloy could hear the guilt hang on Elida’s voice, causing her to turn to look at the younger girl. Her brows pinched together in a frown. “If it was, it’s not your fault. You didn’t know that it was under there.”

Twisting her mouth to the side, Elida nodded. “I guess.”

Aloy’s gaze flickered down to her ankle then back up at her face again. With a sigh, she stepped forward and wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist, letting her lean on her for support. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

 

* * *

 

The two bypassed all of the guards that were in the front and back of Elida’s home, ducking into the kitchen’s backdoor. Luckily, no one was in there, letting the two sneak further into the house. They made it to Elida’s bedroom with little difficulty, finding that the house was mostly silent.

Once inside Elida’s room, Aloy carried her to the bed and had her sit down. She knelt in front of her, examining her ankle now that they were in proper light. Her skin was bruised and cut, but the cuts were not deep enough to cause any real damage.

Aloy’s fingers brushed over one of the deepest cuts, her thoughts racing on what she could do for it. However, Elida reached down and took her wrist, pulling her hand away. When Aloy’s hazel eyes flickered up to meet those of grey, she saw nothing but quiet pleading.

At first she assumed it to be Elida telling her not to touch, but then she was pulling her closer, drawing her in as her hand ran up Aloy’s freckled arm, resting at the side of her neck. Her thumb brushed along her scar and Aloy realized that she was far too close, their faces merely inches apart.

Her cheeks heated like that of a furnace, her heart hammering painfully against her ribcage. Then Elida’s lips were just barely from her own.

Aloy’s mind went to places it shouldn’t have, places that were both sweet and heart shattering. She remembered how innocent and sweet Elida’s love was, how she would create gardens and wait across lakes if only to see the face of her lover. How she would sleep in ratty bedrolls and build unstable tents, but her love would always stay pure and undying. If only to be with the person she loved.

Then she thought of Atral. Of how he had died trying to go to her, how he had protected her from the horror of their world. She remembered watching the light go out of his eyes, Elida’s name being the last one to leave his lips. He had loved her without hesitation, yet had hurt her so deeply.

She had wanted to _kill_ herself because of it.

Aloy sighed, letting her forehead bump into Elida’s, but tilted her head down enough so that the younger girl could not kiss her. She placed her hand atop the blonde’s, her own thumb brushing over Elida’s knuckles.

They sat there like that for a few moments, the air settling around them as they breathed in each other’s breaths. Aloy’s mind raced for something to say, something to tell the girl that she didn’t _dislike_ her, but that she couldn’t do this right now. Definitely not this. Not after Erend.

Elida must have sensed her stress, because she finally spoke, whispering; “It’s okay.”

Aloy squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing hard. “I just… can’t, Elida.”

“I understand,” she said in return and Aloy almost wished she _didn’t_.

She didn’t want Elida to understand. She wanted her to ask her why. She wanted her to demand her love and affections. Somehow, Elida’s understanding hurt so much more than if she were to get upset. Aloy felt as if _she_ were getting rejected, rather than the other way around.

She wanted to withdraw herself, to pull away and say goodnight – leave it be. Aloy. _Leave it be._

Instead she jerked forward, placing her hands on either side of Elida’s face as she pressed her lips to the younger girl’s. It was perhaps too hard, perhaps too mean. It was not graceful, nor was it pretty on her part.

But Elida didn’t hesitate, kissing her in return. She twisted her fingers in Aloy’s shirt, pulling her closer. Aloy pressed her down onto the bed, straddling her hips, while still holding her face in her hands as she kissed her.

She felt as if her cheeks were going to burn off, her ears following suit. She wanted to kiss more of Elida, yet stop all at the same time. Her chest felt tight, body shaky.

And like a skittish animal, she jerked away from Elida once more, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth as she stared wide-eyed down at her.

Elida stared up at her with the same surprise, her chest heaving with breath. Her cheeks were as flushed as Aloy’s, lips moist from the kiss. Aloy’s eyes flickered down to those beautiful lips, noting that she had a cut on them now. It must have happened when she had practically smashed her mouth against the younger girl’s.

She felt her chest swell with shame. She hadn’t meant to hurt her – she had meant to do the exact _opposite_ of what she had done.

Elida licked her lips. “Um…” she trailed off, unable to break their eye contact.

Aloy didn’t give her a chance to say anything more, jumping off the bed to grab her spear. She rushed towards the door and Elida did not say anything to stop her. She did not call out her name or run after her, and Aloy was thankful for that.

Like a scared rabbit, she went to her room and shut the door, locking it for safe measure, before going to one corner to sit down. She pressed her back against the wall, wrapping her arms around her knees as she attempted to take in steady breaths.

Great. Now she had two people who would haunt her nightmares, their lives in threat of whatever her mind was to cook up.

She rubbed the heel of her palms into her eyes, wishing that she could take it all back. All of it. From Erend to Elida. She wished she could just erase it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this isn't that long. The next chapter will be longer. Promise. Plus there will be Erend in the next chapter.  
> Anyway, I'm not sorry for the gay in this chapter. In my book Aloy is pan/bi as fuck so like... yeah. Get ready for both the gay and straight stuff, because that's what you're getting.


	19. Chapter 19

Aloy hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep while sitting against the wall until the next morning. Grogginess hung on her like a disease, making her groan. She rubbed at her eyes, wiping sleep from them. She squinted into the early morning light, which tinted her room in orange. There was no use going back to sleep, not with the threatening nightmares that lingered on her mind.

Pushing herself up, she heard her joints crack and pop. She stretched to alleviate the pain in her back, but it did little good. She was going to be sore all day.

She twisted her mouth to the side at that thought. She was getting too used to sleeping on beds. When she was out in the wilds, she had adjusted to sleeping in uncomfortable places. Maybe she needed a few days in the wild to make herself strong again.

Sighing, she grabbed her spear, twisting it around in her hands to examine it. She’d need to make a new one eventually; she had had this one for far too long. The wood had yet to splinter, but the blade was beginning to dull to the point that even sharpening it was doing little good.

“Aloy…”

She froze, body tensing as a cold chill tickled at the back of her neck. The voice was hard to forget, even after years of silence. It was full of static, but it was there all the same.

“Sylens?” her voice shook as she spoke, her hand going to her Focus.

“It’s been quite some time,” he spoke with the same ease and slowness that she had come to know during her journey to defeat Hades.

She ground her teeth together. Speaking with Sylens only meant danger. Surely he wasn’t contacting her out of simple curiosity of her wellbeing. Her heart could only race, the sound of it heavy in her ears.

“What is it, Sylens?” she demanded, her voice sharper than she intended. She gripped her spear tighter, her knuckles going white.

“I had assumed you would be pleased to hear my voice again,” he said with just as much calm as before.

Her eyebrows pinched together. “Is that a joke? What is going on? You don’t make social calls.”

There was a long pause and Aloy worried that perhaps he had left her once more, but then he sighed. Loudly. It was more exasperated than she had ever heard him. This alone was a source of panic, which she tried to swallow down.

“Hades is not dead.”

Aloy felt that her knees might collapse on her as her heart lurched into her throat. Of course she should have known, what with the appearance of this new machine. But damn, she really wanted to ignore her worries. Her fear. Yet it was certain to follow her to the grave.

“How?” her voice was a mere breath.

“The override code was not created to kill it, but to silence it for a time,” came Sylens’ response. “You cannot kill a virus.”

Aloy swallowed hard, tilting her head back to stare up at the ceiling. “But I shut him down.”

“Temporally, yes.” He sounded so calm and it ground on her nerves, as it often did.

She wanted to punch something. Mostly _him_ , but he wasn’t there. Oh how she wished he was man enough to speak to her in person. “What aren’t you telling me, Sylens?”

There was another long pause.

“Damn it! Just tell me!” she nearly shouted, her temples throbbing from her frustration. “Either you’re here to taunt me or you’re going to tell me actual information. So get to it!”

“You’ve seen the new machines,” he finally said. “Did you think that leaving GAIA in ruins would let the peace last forever?”

Aloy was worried she was going to be sick. “What do you mean? There’s no way to fix GAIA. She self-destructed. That was her failsafe. Remember?”

“You should know that Elisabet was smart enough to make more than one failsafe,” he said, the tone of his voice never changing from its calm. It drove her mad.

Walking over to the bed, she sat on the edge, hoping to calm the state of her heart. “What are you talking about?”

“Elisabet would have known to make backup drives.”

Aloy grit her teeth, releasing a hiss of a breath. “So what is happening, Sylens? Where are these new machines coming from? Is Hades controlling them?”

“More or less,” he replied. “The most important thing is that you gather the backup drives to restore GAIA.”

“I need answers first, Sylens. How am I supposed to find something when I have nothing to go off of?” Aloy tightened and untightened her grip on her spear, anything to distract herself from the onslaught of emotions that would tear her apart. She needed to focus, now more than ever.

Sylens was quiet for a few seconds. “There are other bunkers. Where the Old Ones used to-”

“I know what the bunkers were used for,” Aloy interjected irritably. “Where do I find them?”

Her Focus popped up a bunch of new data points, startling her. She opened them without hesitation, pulling up a map.

“I’ve sent you a map of the bunkers,” Sylens said. “If you follow it, I’m sure you will find information as to where you can find the backup drives.”

Aloy frowned, looking over the map he had sent her. “I’ve never seen these places before.”

“You will have to travel further than you’ve ever traveled before, Aloy.”

She moved her hands inward to zoom out of the map so that she could see the placement of the area in a larger scale. Her throat went dry. “It will take me nearly two weeks to reach the first bunker. That’s _with_ a Strider.”

“Then you best get to it,” Sylens monotoned.

She closed the map with a sharp wave of her hand. “I still have some questions for you.”

Silence met her in return. She waited for several seconds before saying his name. Nothing. He was gone again. She wanted to growl out a curse, to make it very clear that she was upset, but she doubted he would be listening.

Instead, she flicked off her Focus and began to angrily pace her room. Hades was alive. He was a threat once again and she had to be the one to eradicate him. Again.

Running her fingers through her hair, her anger gave way to panic. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to go through this again. She was strong and determined, sure, but it had been years since she had had to fight for her life like this – save for her two encounters with the Neiths, yet that hardly counted, seeing as how she had only killed _one._

Damn it.

A knock sounded at her door, momentarily breaking her from her inner turmoil. She turned, body tense. “Yes? Come in.”

The door creaked open and Elida stepped in, her eyes wide in worry. “I heard you yelling,” she said, voice meek. “Are you alright?”

Aloy sighed, shoulders slumping. She had forgotten that the younger girl’s room was next to her own. Of course she would have heard her frustrations. She wondered how much of the actual conversation she had heard.

“Yes, I’m alright.” She thought of the previous night, of how she had kissed her. Her chest felt tight again. “Elida… we need to talk.”

Hesitantly, the blonde entered the room, glancing around briefly. She let the door fall shut behind her as she approached the bed. Aloy sat down and waited for Elida to sit beside her.

“What is it?” the younger girl asked, looking somewhat hopeful.

Aloy hated that she might have to squash that hope. “Something bad is going on.”

And just like that, her expression changed, giving way to careful curiosity. “What do you mean?”

“Those machines we fought,” Aloy began. “They’re part of something bigger. Remember when the Eclipse brought that _thing_ to the Spire?”

Elida nodded. “I don’t think that’s something anyone is going to forget anytime soon.”

“Well, it might happen again.” Aloy fidgeted with her fingers, swallowing hard. “Maybe not here. But Hades – the thing that brought back the Deathbringers – isn’t dead.”

Sitting up straight, Elida didn’t hesitate with her next words. “So what do we need to do?”

“ _We?_ ” Aloy asked, incredulous.

Elida nodded, keeping the redhead’s gaze. “Yes. You don’t need to go in this alone, Aloy. Not this time. I won’t let you.”

“You can’t even fight!” Aloy protested, eyes wide.

“That’s not true. Father has had me tutored in self-defense since I helped out during the last battle. But what I don’t know, you can teach me,” Elida insisted, reaching forward to grab her hands. “If anything, I can at least help you gather herbs and supplies while you travel.”

So she _had_ heard some of the conversation.

“Elida, I can’t afford having you in a place where I need to protect you.” Aloy felt that her heart couldn’t lodge any further into her throat.

“I won’t be a burden on you,” Elida continued. “I promise.”

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Aloy looked the younger girl over. She was thin, but certainly not as thin as herself. She had short, practical, hair and she knew her stuff about plants. More so than Aloy herself did. But she was the daughter of a noble man.

Shaking her head, she looked away from her. “I can’t take that chance, Elida.”

“I’m not going to give you the choice, then.” The blonde stared her down, frowning. She stood from her spot, placing her hands on her hips. “You’ve shown me how to ride a Strider and I know how to handle a bow. I may not be as good of a shot as you, but I can hit my target just fine.”

Aloy turned narrowed eyes on her. “I can outrun you.”

“I will follow you regardless.” Elida stood defiantly, huffing out a breath.

Her words rang a bell within the redhead, causing her to stiffen. She had said similar words once, to someone dear. She had insisted just as hard. But she knew tracking and Elida did not. Then again, she would try to follow her and could end up getting hurt. Either way, there was a chance for danger and Aloy doubted she could talk the girl into staying.

Swallowing hard, she took Elida’s hands into her own. She only hoped that the younger girl couldn’t feel the shake of her hands. “If you’re going to come with me, then we need to gather supplies for you. I’m going to need you to have the best bow we can find and I need you to know how to make arrows. I can’t have you underequipped for this.”

Elida’s face lit up with a smile. “Of course. I promise I won’t hold you back.”

Aloy sighed, shaking her head. “Well, we better start, then.”

 

* * *

 

The market place was just as busy as always, the smell of spices and food drifting in through every part of the city. Merchants stood at their stands, their goods displayed out for all to see. Both Carja and Oseram guard roamed about amongst the citizens, the nobles turning their noses up at everyone who might have a shard less than them.

Elida walked beside Aloy, practically leading Aloy to the best weapons merchant. The redhead kept a steady pace, following behind the blonde as she glanced around at the market. She stopped briefly to buy some banana bread from a baker’s stand before continuing to walk with Elida.

She offered some to the younger girl, and the two of them munched on it as they walked, keeping casual conversation about the things that they passed. Aloy knew they would need the whole day gathering supplies, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have time to actually eat.

They managed to finish off the bread before they came to the weapons merchant they had been looking for. Elida let Aloy look over what the man there had, watching as the redhead picked up certain bows and examined them with scrutiny.

She didn’t seem to care what the merchant thought as she showed Elida what was good about a bow and what was not. She listened intently, even when the merchant got offended at certain things that the redhead said.

Finally, Aloy found a bow she deemed suitable. It was pricy, in her opinion, but Elida pulled out the shards regardless. She handed them over to the merchant and the two began on their way.

Elida held out the bow in front of her, staring in awe. “It’s very pretty,” she acknowledged.

Aloy nodded. “It’s well-crafted and certainly wasn’t made by that man back there. He must have traded for it, then upped the price.”

Twisting her mouth to the side, the blonde considered that. It was probably true. After all, Aloy knew more about weapons than she did. For good measure, she clipped the strap to it and swung it over her back, the leather strap settling diagonally across her chest. She already had a quiver at home, but had yet to have any arrows. She was promised that she would be shown how to make them later.

Aloy continued forward, letting Elida follow behind as she searched for someone who would sell them machine parts. She wanted to show Elida how to make tear and fire arrows, but she doubted she’d have time to find the parts out in the wild before tomorrow. They still had too much to prepare; she’d have to show her how to gather them as they traveled.

Though she hoped that Elida would never need them.

“Aloy!”

Both girls stopped, though Aloy did it with a grimace while Elida bumped into the redhead. She looked around, finding that the captain of the Vanguard was coming towards them, which caused her shoulders to rise in tenseness. Aloy, on the other hand, only changed her posture to one of annoyance, her shoulders dropping as she lazily let her head turn to look at Erend.

Elida knew that the older girl was not pleased with the man, but she hadn’t thought that she was show said displeasure. She glanced back and forth between the two as he approached.

“Yes, Erend?” Aloy greeted as he stopped in front of them, shifting awkwardly on his feet. Elida had never heard such sharpness in her tone.

“I didn’t think I would see you here,” Erend said, his gaze flickering across the redhead’s features. “I was asking around for you, but no one had seen you.”

She placed a hand on her hip, her response coming in just as snide as before. “Oh, are you going to explain yourself now?”

Erend grimaced before his eyes turned to Elida. He recognized her, but he wasn’t sure from where. He returned his gaze to Aloy. “Yes. Somewhat. I think we need to talk, at least.”

Aloy raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. “Really? It’s about time.”

Elida shifted uncomfortably on her feet, pressing her lips into a thin line. She _really_ didn’t want to be in the middle of whatever _this_ was.

“Can we speak in private?” Erend asked, his voice gentle despite Aloy’s aggression.

This seemed to snuff any fire within the redhead’s words. She turned to Elida, placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Do you mind, Eli?”

Elida looked up at Aloy, her heart fluttering within her chest at the small nickname. She gave a quick nod. “Yes, of course. I will gather some herbal supplies. Meet me back at home?”

Smiling, Aloy nodded. “Yes. I will see you there.”

She watched the blonde wander off, admiring the bounce to her step. She almost adored how peppy the younger girl always looked. However, she pushed her thought of her away in favor of looking up at Erend.

He seemed to watch after Elida too, though his brow was set in a frown. “Is that your friend?”

Aloy wasn’t going to warrant an answer for that, as she knew it was an almost rhetorical question. “Why don’t we find somewhere to talk?”

He nodded, tearing his attention away from the other girl. He waved for her to follow him and she did. They walked through the market and past it, until they reached a small balcony that overlooked the tropical forest. No one was standing around, perhaps too used to the scenery to stop and appreciate it.

Leaning against the railing, Erend crossed his arms. Aloy did the same, though she pressed her palms against the stone railing as she leaned backwards. She refused to look at him, wishing that her stomach wasn’t full of butterflies just from having him around.

“Listen,” he began, nervously licking his lips. “I shouldn’t have let you leave yesterday. I should have been the bigger man and just told you what’s been going on.”

Aloy tapped her fingers against the railing. “Okay, well… I’m listening. I’m glad to see you sober for once.”

“Yeah… Ersa would have had my hide if she found out I was drinking away my problems. Again.” He reached up to rub at the back of his neck. “I was trying to forget stuff.”

Now she looked up at him, because she related to that. All too much. “What stuff?”

“Family death,” he sighed. “I suppose it hits me harder now that Ersa isn’t here.”

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line, looking at him skeptically for a brief moment. “But what does that have to do with how you treated me? I’m sorry… but I don’t understand why you needed to be an ass.”

“I know I don’t have any excuses that warrant that,” he told her. “I fucked up. I got scared and began to shove you away and I know that wasn’t fair of me. I was being a total asshat.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.” Aloy shrugged her shoulders.

He sighed again. “I should have just told you, but I hate having to explain that it’s the anniversary of my parents’ death. That’s just not what you bring into conversation, y’know?”

She sighed, shoulders slumping. “You never told me much about your family. Besides Ersa, I mean. What happened?”

“The Oseram and Carja used to not be on the best of terms, as you already know.” He looked over at her and their eyes met. “Even before the Red Raids, there was fighting between us. The Oseram lost many to the Carja and our numbers were greatly reduced. Anyone who could hold a weapon joined in on the fight. My parents were among them.”

“I’m sorry.” Aloy looked down at the ground, unsure what to say.

Erend continued. “Remember how I told you that I lived in a village that no longer exists? Well, it was ambushed one night. I was only eleven at the time. Ersa wanted to fight, but our parents told us to get out of the village. The entire place was burned to the ground.”

Aloy chewed on her bottom lip, still unsure as what she could say. She wasn’t good at comforting those who had lost loved ones. She could hardly handle her own losses.

“I always think, every year, that it will get easier… but I always keep this sort of guilt in my chest.” He tapped his sternum. “Ersa and I used to drink together to ease that. Now it just hurts even more because Ersa isn’t here either. I’ve lost my entire family and… I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

Now the two of them looked at each other and understanding washed through Aloy. He had pushed her away because he was worried that he’d lose her too. She understood that, but it still hurt that he thought she would leave him so easily. She wasn’t planning to die anytime soon.

“Erend,” she began, swallowing hard. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Well that wasn’t entirely true. She had to leave to travel further than she had ever gone. But she wasn’t going to _die_. She hoped. No, she couldn’t. Not with Elida coming with her. She wouldn’t leave the girl to fend for herself, if she could help it.

“Except you _are_ leaving,” he said, as if reading her mind. He nodded his head towards the market. “With that girl.”

Aloy shook her head. “It’s not like that. Sylens contacted me.”

Erend frowned. “You mean the guy who helped you during the Hades thing?”

She nodded. “Yes. But Hades is not… he’s not dead, Erend. That’s why there’s more machines. I didn’t rebuild GAIA and now Hades is trying to gather more forces. I think. I’m not sure. Sylens didn’t really explain much, just that I had to rebuild GAIA.”

“And how are you supposed to do that?” Erend wasn’t sure what this meant, even if she had told him everything. There were still things he didn’t understand. “Didn’t she self-destruct?”

“Yes, but there are backup drives, according to Sylens.” She rubbed at her arm. “But I have to go past the Sundom – past Oseram territory and further.”

Erend examined her features. “And you’re taking that noble girl with you?”

Aloy pressed her lips into a thin line for a moment. “Not willingly. She refuses to let me go alone. I figured it was easier to have her stay with me than let her try to follow me and end up getting hurt.”

“Well, if you’re taking on companions, then I’m coming too.” He jabbed a thumb towards himself. “I didn’t let you go alone to fight Hades the first time and I’m not going to let you fight alone this time either.”

Aloy looked up at him, worry flickering across her features. “What about the Vanguard?”

“I’m sure they can handle themselves for a bit.” Erend crossed his arms, determined.

“But I don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” she protested.

He chuckled. “Then I will get someone else to replace me until I return.”

Aloy sighed. “There’s no way I can talk you out of this, is there?”

“Nope.” He smirked. “If you’re taking that girl with you, then you can afford to have me come along. At least _I_ know how to fight.”

Aloy released a huff of air. “Sometimes I regret having friends.”

He laughed, the sound hearty. It was refreshing to hear after so long and she couldn’t help but to smile, rolling her eyes. He reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“When do we leave?” He raised an eyebrow, his lips still quirked up in a smile.

She playfully brushed his hand off her shoulder. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Then I have some things to quickly get in order,” he chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry this so long to get out. I was going through some stuff and didn't really have time to write.  
> But we finally have the main plotline started! I know it was a super slow start, but it should be pretty fast paced from here on out.


	20. Chapter 20

Elida’s father was not happy to hear that she was leaving with Aloy, but his protests went unheard. She assured him that everything would be fine and that this was for the greater good. Aloy was quiet during this encounter, only there to offer silent support for the younger girl. It was during dinner, which only made eating very awkward. The rest of the evening was spent gathering anything else they might need.

They sat within the garden for a long time as Aloy showed Elida how to make the arrows she would need. She explained that she wasn’t sure if the peace within the machines would stay with Hades’ return. That concerned Elida, but she didn’t say anything on the matter, instead keeping her focus on the making of arrows.

Once she was able to craft them without Aloy’s assistance, the two decided that the last thing that needed to be done was to sleep. They went off to their separate rooms and settled down for the evening, readying themselves for a long day the following morning.

For once in months, Aloy had a dreamless sleep.

She woke up with a purpose and rose from bed feeling far more refreshed than she had in weeks. Everything seemed clear now. She had a mission once more. It may have terrified her, but it was something to fulfill and bring her a higher satisfaction.

It brought a fire to her veins that felt exhilarating.

She dressed quickly, putting on clothes that she had bought the previous day. She adorned the armor that covered her arms, tying off the blue cords that held it into place. She tugged on her shin guards and secured them to her boots.

Usually, she didn’t wear gloves, but now she tugged a pair on, though only two of her fingers were covered, leaving her ring and pinky exposed. She flexed her fingers, staring down at them momentarily before moving to her skirt. She fastened it onto her hips, tying a silken sash around her waist.

The last piece was her blue scarf, the one that Rost had given to her as a child. She wouldn’t feel secure without it, as it was a part of her.

Gathering her weapons, she strapped both her bow and spear onto her back. With quick fingers, she buckled on her quiver and hunting knife, securing them into place at her hips. Next came her herb pouches, which snapped onto her belt with ease, the worn leather soft to the touch.

Now ready, she scooped up her travel bag and tugged the strap over her shoulder. She left the room in the same condition it had been before her stay. It was less work for the servants.

Stepping out into the main part of the house, Aloy was surprised to see Elida up. She was talking to one of her many servants, who seemed to want to hand off more food than what they could carry. Elida said something that finally made the maid relent, leaving in a huff.

Turning her blue eyes to Aloy, she smiled. “You’re up.”

“I feel like _I_ should be making that statement,” the redhead teased in turn. “Now we just have to meet with Erend.”

Elida had already been informed that the captain would be joining them, but she was somewhat hesitant about it. She knew the two had resolved their differences, yet she worried they would still fight during their trip. She wasn’t a fan of confrontation between friends.

“We’re meeting him by the bridge, right?” she went to her bag that she had sitting on a bench by the door. She shrugged on the strap that held her bow, careful with the weapon.

“Yes.” Aloy took this time to note what Elida was wearing.

It was rather practical and lacking any of the major Carja flair. She wore tight pants that fit her like a glove, a skirt that draped down in the front and back, with slits on either side of her hips. A belt held up the skirt, with small satchels and her quiver clipped to it. She had arm guards that were made of polished leather and crystal braiding.

She had on a simple jacket that also hugged her frame, the sleeves cutting off at her elbows. She wore a purple silk scarf around her neck and Aloy briefly wondered if that was becoming a fashion trend.

What Aloy found the most practical, however, was the make of Elida’s boots. They were made like Nora boots; leather that was sewn together to fit snuggly against the wearer’s feet, which was needed for sneaking silently. Of course, because they were of Carja make, they were not as crudely sewn, but they would serve the same purpose as her own boots did.

Elida seemed to notice her examination. She held out a foot. “I bought these yesterday at the market. There was a man selling travel clothes.”

“You certainly look ready for an adventure,” Aloy chuckled.

The blonde looked over at her, her expression soft. “I just don’t want to disappoint you.”

This made Aloy have to swallow hard, tearing her gaze away from the girl as she rubbed nervously at the back of her neck. “Y-yeah, I don’t think you could.” She cleared her throat. “Let’s get going.”

With a nod, Elida shouldered her bag.

 

* * *

 

The sun was just cresting over the mountains when they made their way to the northern bridge, having gathered their mounts from the stables. Aloy was doing something on her Focus, but Elida didn’t ask what. She only knew she was doing something because the light around the device had popped up and the redhead was making gestures with one of her hands.

They stopped at the end of the bridge, where they were meant to meet Erend. Aloy leaned back against Fanas as she continued to work with her Focus. Elida took this time to take in their surroundings.

In truth, she had never been further than the island where she used to meet with Atral. She certainly had never been to this bridge, as most Carja nobles rarely ever traveled this far. There was no need for that. They had everything they needed within Meridian.

Aloy’s voice startled her. “I’m sending for my Gatherer, Chirps.”

Elida looked over at her. “You have one of those bird-like machines?”

“I tamed it several months ago. It’ll come into use during our journey. It can see further than we can.” She flicked off her Focus. “With the direction we’re headed, it won’t have an issue meeting up with us within a day.”

Elida found herself continuously impressed by Aloy. She parted her lips to say something, but was cut off by a whistle that had both of them turning. She spotted a person heading towards them, riding atop a Broadhead. They stopped in front of the two girls, pulling on the controlling cords so the beast came to a steady halt. Elida couldn’t tell whether or not this person was a very young man or a very androgynous woman.

“Where the hell is Erend?” as soon as they spoke, Elida realized she was female. She hopped off the broadhead, landing smoothly on her feet. “The bastard told me to be here at sunrise.”

Aloy looked just as confused as Elida felt. Though it was the redhead who spoke up. “Aneta, what are you doing here?”

Aneta placed her hands on her hips, looking momentarily bored. “Erend said he’d pay me in beer if I came along with you lot.” The expression didn’t last long before a smirk was flashing across her face. “But I told him I get to wear my own clothes. Oseram armor is _really_ not my thing and it’s heavy as all hell.”

Eyebrows raised in surprise, Aloy realized that she hadn’t actually seen Aneta without the Vanguard armor before. She was a lot smaller than she would have thought, though she was toned and still strong. She certainly didn’t have the bulk of an Oseram, but still held herself as one, despite her Carja heritage.

“Aneta,” Aloy began. “I really don’t like having –”

The older woman interrupted, holding up a hand. “Ah ah ah, no. You may be the famous machine tamer, but this doesn’t always have to be about you. I’m here to help and you can’t get rid of me so easily.”

Pressing her lips into a thin line, Aloy had to stop herself from saying something sarcastic. It helped that she noted that Erend was riding down the bridge now, nearing them. She hoped that he had some answers as to why he had decided to invite Aneta along. Not that she disliked the girl, but she already hated having so many people coming with her.

Erend came to a stop beside them, though he stayed atop his broadhead. “Sorry I’m late. I had to set up a few things with my men. Had to set ‘em straight and make sure they knew Kiln would be in charge until I get back.”

Aneta rolled her eyes. “They might all burn the city down with him in charge.”

“Hey,” Erend warned. “He’s a good man. You two drink together enough for you to know that.”

Shrugging with a smirk, Aneta didn’t argue.

“Are we ready to go?” Aloy asked, wanting to stop this course of conversation. If Erend had his men settled and Aneta was going to come along, then she wanted to get going. She had wanted to leave before the sun had passed over the mountains.

“I have everything I need,” Erend said, his voice gentle as he spoke to her.

Aloy climbed atop her strider. “Then let’s get going. We have a long ride ahead of us.”

Elida and Aneta climbed atop their mounts as well, sharing a brief look at each other. Perhaps they wondered why the other was coming along, though Aneta flashed the younger girl a smirk.

Aloy started Fanas forward and the others followed, conversation halting for the time being as they set off. Aloy was thankful for the silence; it gave her some time to think about her situation and how she was going to fare during this trip.

It was certainly going to be an interesting one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small mention of Kiln, who belongs to SilenceNorth.
> 
> I apologize for this chapter being short. I'm sorta in a writing funk right now, which I'm trying to pull myself out of.  
> If y'all wanna see what Aneta looks like, [I posted some quick sketches of her.](http://emybunart.tumblr.com/post/159702258694/doodled-up-some-quick-sketches-of-my-character)


	21. Chapter 21

“I don’t think I will ever get over how quiet it is now,” Aneta said, breaking the silence after many hours of travel. She gestured towards the machines as they moved past some Chargers, all of the creatures’ eyes a gentle blue as they grazed. Snorting, she shook her head.

Aloy glanced over at the machines, her expression untelling of her thoughts. She observed them for another quiet moment before speaking, though she seemed reluctant to do so. “It’s odd,” she noted. “Considering the fact that the derangement should have only gotten worse these past couple of years.”

Erend frowned at this. “But wasn’t Hades the cause of that all? If he had been stopped, even if it was only for a bit, wouldn’t it have stopped the derangement anyway?”

Aloy shook her head. “No. Hades wasn’t the cause of it. GAIA’s destruction was. She was what was holding it all together.”

Everyone in the group turned their eyes to her, unable to comprehend what she meant. Aneta was the only one who didn’t stay silent. “Wait, what is _GAIA_ and what does it have to do with the derangement? I was never briefed on any of this.”

“GAIA is what we’re going to go rebuild – or, what _I_ am going to rebuild. She’s what created the machines,” Aloy explained. At least, she hoped she was explain this well. She was better at just telling people to leave it all to her. Now she _had_ to explain all of this. She briefly wondered if that was why Sylens had taken so long to tell her about himself and his discoveries.

“If she’s what created the machines…” Elida began, but trailed off, glancing back towards the Chargers in her confusion.

She didn’t need to finish; Aneta was already on it. “Then why are we trying to rebuild her? Why would we want _more_ machines? I’m not a big fan of the last few beauties she’s spit out these past few years.” The brunette held out a hand, counting off the machines on her fingers. “First Sawtooths, then their cousin the Ravagers, some beautiful flying nightmares that are the Stormbirds, and oh – let’s not forget my favorite – _Thunderjaws_. The close equivalent to the Mad Sun King’s wet dream, if he had been able to get a hold of such a beast for his Sun Ring.”

Erend found himself barking out a laugh while Aloy’s eyebrows shot up at the older woman’s words. Elida only pressed her lips into a thin line as she stared ahead at the road with wide eyes. All three were in varying degrees of surprise.

“What?” Aneta demanded with a laugh, glancing around at her companions. “I’m not wrong!”

“None of us will argue with that,” Erend said, still chuckling. “But GAIA, from what I understand, is something much bigger than just being the mother of machines.”

Aloy frowned. “She’s not a machine. She’s a _being_ , of sorts. A program. She thinks and feels like us, but she’s _not_ like us. Not of flesh and blood, anyway.” She still felt a sort of loss within her chest at the mention of GAIA. In a way, the creator was one of her mothers, therefor she could only think fondly of her.

“But why would we want her back if she’s only going to create more machines? I don’t understand.” Aneta was frowning, looking at Aloy.

“The derangement was caused by her destruction,” the redhead said, hoping to explain without needed to talk much more. She was not in the mood for conversation and would have preferred to travel in silence. “Once she’s fixed, we’ll have a permanent peace within the machines. Besides, it will stop the new, meaner, machines that have been appearing. GAIA watches over the Cauldrons and makes sure they work properly. They will continue to run amuck until we fix her.”

This seemed to pacify Aneta for the time being, as she gave an understanding nod and turned her attention back to the road. “Sounds like we have our work cut out for us.”

“But we can do it,” Elida piped in, her voice so much lighter than everyone else’s. Quieter, too. “It will be worth it in the end.”

Aloy agreed with a nod, glancing over at the younger girl to shoot her a smile. However, Elida only glanced at her briefly, her cheeks tinting a soft red before her eyes darted away, a smile playing at her own lips.

The travel after that was quiet.

 

* * *

 

When they settled down for the evening, it was done so with little conversation. The group was tired and hungry, which had them setting up camp quite quickly. Aneta and Erend set up the tent while Aloy and Elida began preparing food. Or rather, Aloy showed Elida how to catch some rabbits and proceeded to show her how to skin them. Elida was a quick learner and managed to clean the second rabbit by herself.

Erend watched the two interact as he and Aneta set up camp. He wasn’t sure how to feel about the youngest of their group; she was a pretty girl, but perhaps that was the problem. He could tell the girl liked Aloy, especially with the longing looks she constantly gave the redhead. That brewed an uneasy feeling within him, settling in the pit of his stomach.

If Elida had been a man, he would have channeled this feeling into anger, but she was a very sweet, _pretty_ , girl who had a smile that could charm the sun itself. She was eager and enthusiastic. He wasn’t sure how to feel about this jealous he had developed.

It did not help that this trip would be spent with all four of them sharing a tent, since they had to travel light. If Aloy would have had it her way, they would have slept under the stars. He doubted miss _noble Elida_ would have liked doing such a thing. Luckily, his captain’s tent was large enough to fit four bedrolls.

Aneta seemed to notice his frustrations as they gathered water from a nearby creak. It was a decent enough distance from the camp to not be heard by the other two women. She was filling her canteen when she looked over at him, noting the hard-set state of his expression, the furrow of his brows.

“You don’t like the noble girl,” she said, a smirk tugging at her lips. Granted, she wasn’t fond of seeing her captain upset, but it was far more amusing than seeing him gallivanting around with Aloy – all smiles and sunshine.

“She’s a _girl_ ,” he huffed. “A _little_ girl. She shouldn’t be on a journey like this with us.”

Aneta hummed, sitting back on the rocky embankment of the creak. She swished the water around in her canteen. “She’s nineteen,” she reminded. “Hardly a little girl. Aloy was nineteen when she went on her journey, if I’m correct. You didn’t consider _her_ a little girl.”

Erend turned his blue eyes on his comrade, his expression set in a glare. “That’s not the same. Aloy isn’t some noble girl who wanted to go on an adventure.”

“I don’t think that’s what Elida is, either.” Aneta shrugged her shoulders. “I mean, I heard she was a big help during the aftermath of Hades. She helped in the infirmaries and even supplied medical supplies before the battle.”

“How do you know that?” Erend sat down as well, frowning at the woman. He wasn’t surprised by her quick laugh, the sound falling easily from her lips.

Her nearly constant smirk was back, her eyes far more knowing than he liked. “I did my research, of course. Do you really think I would have gone on a mission with someone I had no information on? I asked around, like a good Vanguard soldier would.”

Narrowing his eyes at her, he was not oblivious to her small jab. “Why did I invite you when you’re going to be snarky this whole trip?”

“Aw,” Aneta cooed. “But you love it. I give a spark to your life!”

“Yeah, like a scavenger bite to the ass.” He snorted.

She clicked her tongue and winked. “It’s the closest thing you’re gonna get to getting laid at this point. Just accept it, buddy.”

“Somehow, the idea of sex involving anything with _you_ is gag worthy,” Erend laughed, the sound hearty. It was only encouraged when she faked an expression of insult, placing a hand atop her chest.

“I’ll have you know that I am quite good at the sex thing,” she said. “The best, actually. I’m so good that people only have to look at me to orgasm. I don’t even have to lift a finger.”

Erend laughed again. “I’d ask for tips, all mighty one, but it seems I am not strong enough for this knowledge.”

She nodded her head in agreement before taking a sip of her canteen. “Damn right.” She glanced back towards the camp. “How are you going to fair through this?”

He pressed his lips into a thin line, unsure on how to respond. He didn’t know the woman well enough to completely spill his thoughts. He had already said too much about his thoughts on Elida. He didn’t want to be any more obvious of his jealousy. “We have a mission to complete. That’s what’s important.”

Aneta rolled her eyes before pushing herself up from the ground. “If I have to deal with awkwardness this whole trip, I’m going to feed myself to a Stormbird.”

He chuckled. “There was no awkwardness today.”

She gave him a look. “Oh, but there _will_ be. Especially when beddy-bye time comes. I think I’m going to take the first watch, just to be safe.”

“Aneta,” he groaned. “Don’t make things weirder than they already are.”

With an almost wicked laugh, Aneta began back towards the camp and the captain knew full well that the woman did not care about his pride towards the situation. She was going to let him sort it out for himself, even if the _last_ thing he wanted to do was spend a night in a tent with two very attractive women – one of which he was helplessly in love with.

Pulling himself to his feet, he headed back towards the camp as well, where he was met with the scent of cooking rabbit. It made his mouth water and he realized, for the first time, how hungry he was.

Aloy was sitting in front of the fire, an arrow in her hand as she added ridges to the pointed shard that served as its blade. Elida was turning the meat, seemingly intent with the task. Aloy glanced up as Erend approached, her eyes flickering across his face before she returned to her task of creating barbed arrows.

Erend sniffed the air, noting that the smell of rabbit meat was slightly different to what he was used to. “Did you add something to the meat?” he looked at Elida, hoping to spur conversation between them.

The young woman looked up, offering him a smile for the first time. “Just some herbs I scrounged up. Nothing too special.”

“Better than what I’m used to out here,” he chuckled as he sat down before the fire, several feet from Aloy. He worried that sitting directly beside her would be reason to seem territorial, though he certainly felt so.

“I just want to be of some use,” Elida said softly, as if it were a small joke. “I’m a good cook, at least.”

Aloy’s head snapped up, expression unreadable as she stared at the younger girl. “You’re more than just a good cook, Elida.”

The blonde glanced over at Aloy and Erend could see the beginning of a blush across her cheeks. She smiled, clearly smitten with the redhead’s words. She returned her gaze to the food before her, fiddling with the end of the makeshift wooden spit.

Erend was quick to break the silence with a gentle laugh. “Well, if you’re good with herbs, I’m sure you will be quite the help later on.”

Elida’s eyes flashed back over to Erend and he swore her cheeks had only grown redder. Still, she smiled. “I hope so.”

“You will,” Aloy insisted, though quietly.

They all fell into an easy silence and Erend took this opportunity to begin peeling off his armor, setting it aside. None of the women around him paid any attention, continuing on with the tasks they had laid out for themselves. Aloy kept on cutting ridges into her arrows, Elida tended to the meat, and Aneta had begun sharpening one of her knives.

The gentle noises of their companionship were oddly comforting, without the heavy awkwardness that had resided earlier that day. Erend briefly wondered if it had been his and Elida’s relationship that had been the issue. The two had not directly spoken to each other until now. It felt as if a barrier had suddenly been broken, causing the four to finally relax.

Erend found himself smiling. He still harbored a jealousy within his chest, but perhaps he could grow used to Elida’s presence. Clearly the girl had a simple infatuation with Aloy, but the redhead did not seem to show the same feelings. _What a relief,_ he found himself thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, but I wanted to at least put out SOMETHING.  
> I've got a little bit of motivation back, so I'm going to get back into this. I have some plans for the next coming chapters. Including the meeting of a new tribe, the first bunker, and lots of jealousy!
> 
> Also, I want to make it very clear - here in the notes - that Aneta is _NOT_ actually flirting with Erend in this chapter. She's asexual as all hell.


	22. Chapter 22

Aloy ended up sleeping with her bedroll between Erend and Elida, though she hardly noticed the oddity of this. Her mind was far away, focused on the journey ahead. She was more distracted by her thoughts than she was about the sudden awkwardness that occurred as everyone readied themselves for bed. Aneta had offered to take first watch and Erend declared he would take second. It was a decision made tiredly and no one argued against it.

As the three of them laid down to rest, Aloy realized how comfortable it was to have Elida at her right and Erend at her left. Hearing their breaths as they slept was something she hadn’t realized would be interesting. Elida slept quietly while Erend still snored softly in his sleep. Elida slept on her side, facing Aloy, while Erend slept sprawled out on his back.

Her thoughts trailed away from her mission as she took in her situation. She couldn’t deny it, she very much liked laying between the two. Which was confusing in of itself. She cared deeply for Erend; there was no doubt about that. But Elida had opened up new feelings… Ones she wasn’t sure she was prepared for, yet left her wanting.

Taking in a deep breath, she released it slowly. This was not the time to dwell on her feelings. She had a mission to complete and that would come first and foremost. Her feelings could come afterward, if they all lived to give themselves that privilege.

She forced herself to close her eyes and let sleep take over her mind.

 

* * *

 

Daybreak came too soon, but Aloy rose despite her tiredness. She had hoped to have a dreamless sleep, yet that had proved impossible. She had been riddled with nightmares and she was thankful that she did not wake up her companions with her constantly twisting and turning on her bedroll.

When she stepped out of the tent, however, excitement reached her sleep fogged brain as she saw Chirps sitting atop Fanas. She rushed over to the machines, quickly reaching out to the mechanical bird. It gave a conformational chirp before hopping onto her shoulder.

“Hey there,” Aloy affectionately cooed. “You got here a lot quicker than I thought you would.”

“He got here a few hours ago,” Erend said from behind her, where he was poking at the remnants of the fire.

She had hardly noticed him as she had gone to Chirps, but now she remembered that he had taken second watch and would of course be up. She turned to look at him. “He will be useful for the journey.”

“I figured as much,” Erend chuckled and Aloy took in the fact that he wasn’t wearing his armor yet. Instead he was wearing a cream colored tunic with a V-neck collar, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. She also noticed that he wasn’t wearing his usual pants, but a pair that hugged his legs in a very flattering manner.

She took him in for a moment, her cheeks flushed. She always forgot how muscular he was and she let her gaze linger on his biceps, where the muscles bulged under the cotton of his shirt sleeves. She swallowed thickly, realizing her throat was dry.

“How are you?” she found herself asking, guiding Chirps back onto Fanas’ back so that she could walk over and sit near Erend. She pulled her knees up to her chest, draping her arms over them as she turned her gaze to the camp fire. She wondered if they should get it going again, but that was probably not a wise idea.

Elida and Aneta were still asleep, but they would need to leave soon.

Erend chuckled, bringing her back to their conversation. “Is the great Nora hunter worried about me?”

_Yes,_ she thought. “No,” she said instead, adding a snort as if that were a ridiculous thought.

He looked over at her, his blue eyes examining her for any sort of emotion that would let him into her thoughts. Of course, as was typical of her, he found no way in. “I’m managing. What about you?”

Aloy sighed. “I feel like I have a lot of pressure on me.”

“Is that new?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Thinking about it, Aloy knew they were both aware of the answer. It wasn’t new. She was used to the feeling of being needed, even if she wasn’t a fan of it. “We’re going further than any of us have ever traveled. I’m not scared, but it is a little nerve wracking. I’m excited to see new things, but it’s going to be... _interesting_ to adjust to everything.”

“You’ve done it before, though.” Erend gestured to the world around them. “This is certainly not Nora lands. You traveled here all by yourself.”

She nodded, knowing he was right.

They sat there in a comfortable silence as the remaining coals popped and cracked, the sounds of birds and other animals coming alive around them as the sun peeked over the line of trees, shrouding them in a brighter light. Dew still sparkled on the grass and ferns around them, undisturbed by any creature – be it animal, human, or machine.

Aloy liked these moments; watching the world come alive before her. It was in these early moments that she remembered how human she was. It also reminded her that the sun would rise even if the world was at war with itself, even if it were to disappear. Mornings and nights would be a constant.

The tent flap opened and Elida stepped out, squinting her eyes in the sunlight. She ran her fingers through her short locks of dark-blonde hair as she walked over to the fire, sitting down opposite of Aloy.

“Hey,” Aloy and Erend seemed to say in unison, causing the two of them to glance at each other.

Elida looked back and forth between the two before offering up a kind smile. “Good morning,” she greeted in return. “I’m surprised we haven’t started moving yet. Shouldn’t we get an early start?”

Aloy gave a curt nod. “We should.”

“I can wake up Aneta,” Elida offered.

Erend held up a hand, a smile tugging at his lips. “Allow me.” Turning his head towards the tent, he sucked in a breath before yelling; “Get your ass up, Aneta! We have shit to do! Don’t make me drag your ass out of there!”

There was a moment’s pause before the woman responded, though it was in the form of her peeking out of the tent to throw a boot directly at Erend. It bounced off his back as she growled, “Fuck off!”

The group broke into laughter, though Elida tried to hide it behind a hand. Erend, on the other hand, laughed with his head thrown back. It was the type of laughter that was contagious and Aloy decided it was a very good way to start the morning.

 

* * *

 

After a quick breakfast, the group set out. It wasn’t as grueling a travel as the previous day, but as they moved further to the west, the hotter it got. The women found themselves peeling off layers of clothes in order to suffice to the heat. Though Aloy was perhaps the most overdressed of the three, causing her to be practically drenched in sweat. Aneta and Elida seemed to take the heat in stride, as they were Carja women who were used to the humidly hot conditions.

Erend seemed to be taking it in stride as well, laughing about how the weather in the Claim was hot like this during the summer – though much drier.

Aloy’s clothes felt heavy against her skin, clinging to her uncomfortably. Growing up in the Nora lands certainly did not prepare her for this sort of weather. Even their summers were not this hot. But according to both Erend and Aneta, Nora summers seemed to be the rest of the world’s spring.

Both Aneta and Elida suggested she strip down to her last layer of clothing, yet Aloy was quick to object, her cheeks flushed from both the heat and being _that_ undressed during travel. Perhaps it was her Nora upbringing, but she would be damned if she traveled with as little armor as her companions.

As the day went on and as they journeyed further west, joyous conversation dwindled, instead giving way to an air of newfound awareness. It was Aneta who spoke her concerns first, suddenly coming to the realization in which direction they were headed.

“Wait, Aloy… Where exactly are we going? Because if _feels_ like we’re heading towards the Forbidden West.” She stared at Aloy’s back as the redhead led the group forward, her mechanical bird sitting on her mount’s backside.

Aloy was quiet for a moment and the group only gave way to hesitant speculation. But soon Aloy was answering, though she sounded reluctant to do so. “Yes, that’s where we’re headed.”

Aneta drew her broadhead to a jerky halt. “Whoa, what?! I know you grew up in the Sacred Lands, but we Carja and Oseram don’t _go_ to the Forbidden West. That’s why it’s called _Forbidden._ ”

Coming to a stop as well, Aloy turned on Fanas to look at Aneta. “I know about the Forbidden West. The Nora had plenty of tales about it as well. But there won’t be a Forbidden West or _any other_ part of the world if we don’t go.” She paused for a moment as the group took her in. “If you want to head back now, then do so. But I’m going to keep going.”

“I’m not leaving your side,” Erend said, quick with his answer.

“And neither am I,” came Elida’s agreement. “I said I was going to follow you and whatever horrors await us will not deter that.”

Aneta barked a surprised laugh, her wide eyes flickering from every person in their small group. “You all have to be joking! Everyone who has gone to the Forbidden West has come back _crazy_ , barely able to even speak and on the brink of death!”

“I knew someone who had traveled there and lived,” Aloy said, expression unreadable. “He was not permanently damaged by what he saw.”

Aneta huffed. “Fine. But if we _die_ or go mad, I’m blaming you.”

Aloy laughed and wiped sweat from her brow. “That’s fair.”

They sat back on to their travel, though with a new air about them. Now their minds lingered on what might happen to them while on this mission to save the world all over again. They worried of what they might see, if the tales were true. What of the creatures or machines they might meet? The tribes that were spoken of during ravings of mad men?

Aloy had not heard as many tales as the rest of her group, as Rost hadn’t spoken of the Forbidden West. Instead she had heard about it in passing while briefly walking through tribes or during her time hunting for the Eclipse. She had read scripts of those who had made it home from these dangerous lands, just as the others in her group had. Still, her knowledge was limited.

But had also been told, by Teersa, that Rost had traveled to the Forbidden West. Perhaps that was why she was not as scared as she should have been. She was one of Rost’s daughters, therefor she would be able to face whatever horrors might appear before her.

She was confident in this.

However, as they traveled, the trees began to become sparse, the biomes around them slowly shifting into another. The rich soil of the rainforest began to give way to drier dirt that melded into sand. Ferns died away and were replaced by twiggy bushes with little leaves. The trees became shorter, the bark crusting away to reveal parched wood.

The further they went, the more everything appeared dead. Soon the sandy ground became as white as snow, the heat of the world around them only increasing as they met the edge of the remaining forest. The sweltering heat of the rainforest was now dry of any moisture, the sun beating down on them with an intensity that threatened to bake their skin.

Once more, Aneta and Elida pulled on their clothes in favor of protecting their flesh from the unforgiving sun, despite the heavy heat. The group squinted their eyes at the new world unfolding before them – or rather the lack of.

They had wandered into a desert so colorless that light bounced back at them and made it nearly impossible to see. It was with this view that the group concluded that this was how many had succumbed to madness.

However, they divulged that their company would keep that same insanity at bay. Talking helped, they realized, as they traveled further into this heated and seemingly endless hell. Luckily, they had arrived within the last few hours of light, but had traveled far enough into the desert to no longer see the trees behind them.

If not for Aloy’s Focus, they most likely would have been lost within the white plains, as many probably had.

Once they were several hours into the desert, and after the sun had set and revealed a never endless starry sky, they decided to set camp. Upon impossible odds, they found the remnants of old trees with bark almost as white as the sand.

They used it to build a fire once the tent was pitched. It seemed as if the world around them would not grow entirely dark, but at least the heat had died down a bit. When the fire was lit, it burned an odd blue, the flames hot even at a distance.

They cooked their dinner and Aloy listened for any sounds of wildlife within this vast desert, though even her Focus could not pick up anything. She expected to at least see some Rockbreakers, but they too seemed to be missing from the land.

The night was incredibly quiet, which grew on everyone’s nerves. They had never heard anything as quiet as this night. They huddled around the fire as the night gave way to a sudden chill.

“It’s creepy out here,” Elida finally said as they ate their dinner, the group having been just as quiet as the night, as if speaking would break some sort of spell. The only other sound was the crackling of the fire.

“Agreed,” Erend grunted.

Aneta made a sound that added her agreement while Aloy stayed quiet, though a frown had been glued to her face since they had entered the desert. Erend half worried that her face would be stuck like that forever if she kept it up.

“I’ve never seen anything so…dead.” Elida shifted uncomfortably and Erend noted how her cheeks were flushed with the beginning of a sunburn.

“I’m gonna have a hard time sleepin’ tonight,” Erend said with a gentle laugh, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. “Never been in an area so quiet. It’s making my ears ring.”

Aneta nodded. “Same here.”

“How are we going to find water when we run out?” Elida asked, picking at her stick of salted boar meat. “Or food?”

“I’m sure the desert doesn’t go on forever,” Aloy finally spoke up. “It’s got to end eventually. We won’t reach the first bunker for another couple of days, though.”

Elida looked over at her, perking at the sound of her voice. “Is that what your Focus says?”

Aloy gave a single nod. “I was hoping there was a Tallneck around here to clear up a map, but I haven’t seen a signal for one. We’re going in blind.”

“But hey,” Erend said, sounding both cheerful and nervous. “Things will look up, right? It’s not grim yet; we just got started!”

“Yeah and it’s already shit,” Aneta grumbled before popping a piece of meat into her mouth while glaring at the ground.

Erend shot her a warning look, but it went unnoticed. Elida and Aloy continued eating as well, the group falling silent once more. Things _did_ look grim already, though Aloy held some hope within her chest. Surely it wasn’t going to be all bad.

When she had first stepped into the Sundom, she had thought that it too was endless and unforgiving. All of this would just need some adjusting as well. She was sure they would eventually find some sort of life within the pale plains.

“Well,” Erend said after finishing his dinner, having tossed the stick into the fire. He began to stand. “I’m going to hit the hay. You ladies going to stay up for a bit?”

Aneta grunted. “Do we need to have someone stay up and play watcher? There’s not a damn thing out here, so I don’t see the point.”

Aloy agreed with a nod. “It would probably be best if we all just went to bed. We should get an early start tomorrow, before the heat hits.”

Elida pulled herself up from the ground, brushing sand off her pants. “I feel like tomorrow is going to be longer than today.”

Finishing her stick of meat, Aloy slumped in her spot, staring at the fire as she flicked the stick into it. “A _lot_ longer, I bet.”

Erend was already heading towards the tent and Elida followed after him when it seemed that both Aloy and Aneta had nothing more to say. It wasn’t long before Aneta too got up and went to the tent, leaving Aloy to sit alone by the fire.

She tilted her head up, looking at the many stars that freckled the sky, some burning brighter than others. The moon was nowhere to be seen and Aloy found herself missing it.

Eventually, after a while of staring at the stars, and as the sound of Erend’s snoring filled the air, Aloy pulled herself up from her spot and went to the tent as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to announce that I got my writing momentum back. I sat down and started outlining and now I have up to chapter 26 outlined. I know where the story is going now and ho boy.  
> I just want to say that this is going to take some wild turns. Now that we're entering the Forbidden West, I'm gonna have to come up with some crazy shit. Soooo bear with me!  
> Next chapter will have some fun stuff. Including some kissy kisses. ;)


	23. Chapter 23

The scorching did not let up as the group traveled, their skin slowly reddening with the constant beatdown of the sun. Elida and Aloy, the palest of the group, used their scarves to drape around their faces, protecting them from the unforgiving sunrays. Conversation become sparse the further they traveled. Their only solace was in the evenings when the heat finally died down.

Several days passed before they saw the first sign of life; two Rockbreakers that swam through the sand. The group never thought they would be so happy to see something familiar, even if it was in the form of machines.

The small encounter seemed to encourage them for quite some time. Machines always seemed to group themselves around some sort of life, be it plants or people. There was a good chance that they were finally getting somewhere.

On their third day within the desert, their water supply was diminishing. They had one flask left and it caused the group to become uneasy. With the heat rising to levels of concern, Aloy knew they had to find some sort of water soon.

Sending Chirps into the air, Aloy programmed a mission into the bird, instructing it to find them what they needed. The mechanical bird gave an affirmative squawk before soaring up into the sky.

Aloy tuned into it with her Focus, keeping it on so she could see what Chirps saw. She tuned out any conversation her group was having, in favor of focusing on her machines.

Another day passed without sight of life. They were starting to become doubtful and grumpy. Erend tried to cheer them up, but it resulted in Aneta repeatedly telling him to shut up. Aloy thought that was odd, seeing as how he was her captain. Perhaps that didn’t apply during this mission.

It seemed the evening would be a sleepless one, though they all stopped to rest regardless of that. They built a fire simply to heat up some of their food stock, which they were also running out of.

They sat around the fire in silence for some time, simply eating, before Erend pulled out a flask and they began to pass it around. It wasn’t as refreshing as water, but it helped wet their throats.

With the warmth of alcohol in her belly, Elida began to hum out a small tune – an old Carja sea song. Her voice was soft as she began to sing, though doing it quietly. Aneta seemed to know the song as well, because she joined in with her after a moment, slowly clapping out a small rhythm on her thighs.

It was something that filled the silence, to which Aloy was thankful for. She tried not to stare at the women as they sang, but she was captivated with their voices.

_"Don't weep for me love" says your ruin faced form, like I’d pine for a man who has failed me. Still I find myself wound in your seafarer’s clothes and breathing the scent of your whiskey._

Aneta’s voice was far deeper than Elida’s, but they harmonized beautifully. Elida glanced over at the older Carja woman, seeming to appreciate that she had joined in with her. They sang with a new heart, both of them getting wrapped up in the tale that they weaved with their voices.

Aloy felt both breathless and aching, the lyrics far sadder than she had expected. A lover’s grief. Still, the two women sang on, coming to a closing of their sudden duet.

_So give me your hand, as the sea gives you breath, and you rise back up out of the salty. Oh you stink like the dead, but it’s what we both are and the least you can do is come with me._

The song ended with gentle humming, Aneta’s clapped rhythm stopping. There was a moment of pause as the crackling of the fire became the sole sound once more. Aloy wasn’t going to have that, not after hearing such beautiful vocals.

However, as soon as she parted her lips to speak, Erend had already beaten her to it.

“You two have been holding out on us,” he chuckled, swishing around the drink in his flask. “Should’ve had you two singing this whole time. Would have made for better entertainment than watching the damn fire.”

Aneta smacked her fist against his bicep, though it was in a playful manner. “Better not tell Kiln about this. If he finds out I can sing, I won’t hear the end of it.”

“You’d just become his canary,” Erend teased back, a grin overtaking his features. “He’d like it.”

Aneta’s cheeks darkened, her expression twisting in both frustration and a bit of embarrassment. She huffed. “I don’t care if the old bastard liked it. He can eat my fist.”

“Wow, upset with him already and he’s not even here.” Erend took a sip of his flask, egging her on. “Also, he’s younger than _me._ Hardly old.”

“Nah, you’re an old fart too.” Aneta looked away from him, clearly flustered. She brushed some of her short locks of hair from her face.

Erend only continued to grin. “You’re just upset because I didn’t have him come with us.”

“You could have at least asked if he wanted to go,” she grumbled, though her frustrated expression slowly sank into one of sadness. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them. “I miss him. Kinda.”

Erend reached out and squeezed her shoulder, realizing his mistake in teasing her. Sometimes he forgot she was an actual girl. Or rather, he forgot that she wasn’t an _Oseram_ woman, who would have continued on with his teasing and would have fought him back with just as much jest.

“Who is Kiln?” Aloy asked.

Erend glanced over at her. “My second in command. He makes sure the Vanguard keeps up their work when I’m not around.”

“He does it better than you,” Aneta said with a laugh, brushing off her brief sadness, though she kept her arms wrapped around her knees.

“You’re biased.” Erend gave her a look.

She grinned. “Aw, don’t be like that. You know you’re my favorite captain. I wouldn’t be on this mission otherwise. I just think you should have invited Kiln.”

“What, so I could hear you two snog all night?” Erend snorted.

Aneta’s face darkened with a blush again. “Pfft, we don’t snog.”

“ _Sure,_ ” Erend laughed. “You two can hardly keep your hands off each other. You just think no one notices, but we all know you two are together.”

Aneta punched him in the arm, huffing in irritation and embarrassment. “Did he tell you? Because we have been _very_ discreet, thank you very much.”

“No, but you just did.”

She groaned loudly, throwing her arms up into the air. “I swear to the Sun!”

Elida was snickering while Aloy looked on in confusion. She never would have thought Aneta as someone who would be with a _man._ Though, she wasn’t sure why her subconscious had convinced her that Aneta liked only women.

“I’ve had my suspicion for a bit, though.” Erend grinned, nudging the woman with his elbow. “You two became pretty close _friends_ after your birthday.”

Aneta rolled her eyes. “Yeah…mistake on my part, it seems. Probably shouldn’t have picked the old geezer who happened to be friends with my captain.”

“Wait,” Aloy said. “How _old_ are you, Aneta?”

Aneta deadpanned. “Twenty.”

The redhead’s eyebrows flew up in surprise. She had pegged the woman as being older than her and she couldn’t help herself from saying so. “I thought you were much older.”

“No,” Aneta dragged out the word, as if she was trying to absorb Aloy’s words. “I just turned twenty a couple of months ago.”

“We’re almost the same age,” Elida said, offering the girl a smile. “Though I thought you were older too.”

Aneta groaned while Erend broke into laughter, seemingly amused by this. She leaned back on her hands, glaring at everyone in the group. “You’re all assholes. A bunch of assholes.”

“But you came with us,” Aloy said, picking up a pebble on the ground to flick it at Aneta. “So what does that make you?”

“Just another asshole in the butt brigade.” She tossed the pebble back at Aloy, causing the redhead to laugh as she shielded herself from it with an arm.

Erend stood from his spot, dusting his palms off on his thighs to get rid of the sand that covered them. “We should get moving again, since we aren’t going to sleep.”

Aloy nodded her agreement. “I suppose we can just leave the fire going. It’s not like anything can burn down.” She huffed at this in slight frustration, glaring at the fire. She _wished_ there was something to burn down besides salty pieces of wood that burned so hot that the flames turned blue.

Erend offered her his hand and she took it, letting him pull her to her feet. There was a moment’s pause as the two looked at each other, their eyes meeting. Aloy felt her cheeks heat as he gave her a smile.

Elida, noticing the small flirtatious interaction, cleared her throat as she stood as well. “Aloy, have you checked in with Chirps? Maybe he’s seen something?”

Aloy tore her gaze from Erend, jerking her hand out of his. “No,” she said, quickly putting her fingers to her Focus to flick it on. It only took her a few seconds to have an answer. “He doesn’t have anything.”

“Well, better hit the road.” Aneta pushed herself up. “Sounds like we have a lot more to go.”

The four of them returned to their striders and broadheads. Leaving the fire behind, it was perhaps the only indicator that they had been there. Not that anyone would have seen it.

 

* * *

 

They regretted not sleeping as they continued their travel into the next day. Everything seemed so endless and they had run out of water halfway through the day. Once again, cheery conversation had dissolved, giving away to exhausted silence. Aloy took this time to think about everything that had happened within the past month and a half.

Things weren’t looking good, in retrospect. Sylens had given her very little information and a mission that was dangerous in a way she was not used to. If she died because of dehydration, she was determined to haunt his ass, wherever he might be.

She didn’t like how everything felt slow, dragged on by endless days and nights. She was used to the rush of fighting machines and the thrill of discovering places.

So far they had discovered jack shit.

As she thought this, a ping came from her Focus, causing her to flick it on with wide eyes. A surprised laugh left her at what it showed her. Chirps had found something! From the looks of it, it was a settlement of sorts. Chirps had scanned tents and people. People!

Her joy, however, was short lived as she heard a sliding sound before a loud thud.

“Elida!” Erend shouted in alarm. Aloy twisted around on her strider to see that Elida had fallen off her own strider. However, before she could react, Erend was already jumping from his broadhead.

Aloy was quick to hop off of Fanas, though she found herself swaying momentarily as her dehydration hit her briefly, causing the world to spin. She didn’t let it pause her for too long before she was rushing to Elida’s and Erend’s side.

Aneta had stopped her broadhead as well, though she stared at the three for a moment before realization struck her. Elida had passed out.

Erend had her propped up slightly and Aloy fell to her knees in front of them, quickly slapping at Elida’s cheek in an attempt to wake her up. She noticed the lack of sweat on her, the flush of her cheeks from a sunburn, the way her eyes flickered behind her eyelids.

“Elida,” she gasped out, panic overtaking her as she tried to wake the girl up. “No, no, no. Wake up, damn it.”

_Not like this! Not like this!_ Her mind seemed to scream at her, a million emotions flaring up in her chest. How had she not noticed how bad Elida was doing? How had she not been watching? She should have known the girl would be affected before the rest of them were. She wasn’t used to these conditions.

“You saw something on your Focus, right Aloy?” Erend was demanding of her, though his voice was far calmer than she would have expected.

She looked up at him with frantic eyes. “Y-yes,” she managed to get out. “A tribe or a settlement.”

“They might be friendly,” Erend said before looking at Aneta. “Pitch a tent. We need to get her out of this heat. She might be having a heat stroke.” His gaze flashed back to Aloy. “You and I will scout ahead and see if the tribe is safe and if they will help us.”

Aloy gave a dull nod, her heart racing within her chest and her mind scrambling to regain some sort of control over her emotions. She didn’t want to let go of Elida and she had only just realized she was clutching to one of her limp hands.

Erend handed Elida over to Aloy in order to help Aneta pitch the tent, realizing that she would not be able to put it up fast enough by herself. Aloy cradled the blonde in her arms, hunched over her in an attempt to keep her out of the sun. It wasn’t long before Erend was returning to take her from Aloy all over again.

She watched him hoist the smaller woman into his arms, noting how limp Elida was against him, her head dangling over his arm. He carried her over to the newly built tent, crouching down to lay her atop a bedroll that Aneta had quickly placed within it.

Aloy scrambled to her feet, rushing to her strider. She jumped onto the machine without hesitation, a new determination building within her chest.

“Stay with Elida,” Erend ordered Aneta as he climbed atop his broadhead. “Try to cool her down!” He didn’t get to finish the sentence before Aloy was already charging her strider forward, the machine kicking up sand as it began to run. Erend was quick to ride after her, cursing under his breath.

He prayed to the sun that the tribe was friendly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be perfectly honest, this chapter was going to be a lot longer, but I realized that I had to cut it in half for the sake of flow. I know I promised kisses and they ARE coming... just not in this chapter like I wanted.  
> But you got to see Aneta get flustered over the mention of Kiln, so wasn't it SORTA worth it?
> 
> The song Aneta and Elida sang was _A Woman Scorned_ by Jordan Reyne. Who also happens to be Aneta's voiceclaim. :P


	24. Chapter 24

There was no sneaking up to the settlement within the vastness of the desert. It took them nearly fifteen minutes to get to the small tribe – if one could call them that. Their tents were almost as white as the sand itself, tall with canvas tops stretched wide. The inhabitants were also in white and Aloy would not have seen them had her Focus not scanned them. They came upon the tribe suddenly, as if it had appeared out of thin air.

The first thing that she noticed, outside of the tents, was that many of them were digging on the outside of the camp, though they stopped upon seeing Erend and Aloy riding up. They all had faces as white as the world around them, blank from any details that might signify them as human. It was startling and nearly had Aloy drawing her bow.

They froze like statues as Aloy and Erend brought their machines to a stop, panting for breath despite the fact they had not been the ones running. Aloy jumped from Fanas, unsure of what to do in this instance. Were these things _people?_ Her Focus said they were, but their clothes made them look anything but.

One of them stepped forward, brandishing a spear that had a blade so smooth that Aloy felt a twinge of curiosity. She held up her hands, keeping them away from her own weapons in show that she meant no harm.

“We’re not here to attack you,” she told the person that was approaching her. They had clothes whiter than she had ever seen, as if they people had never worried about stains in their life. She briefly wondered how they had gotten fabric so white.

The person pointed their spear at her, their stance relaxed despite the hold on their weapon. “Speak your names, wanderers.” Their voice was gruff but soft all at once, unrecognizable as any gender.

“Aloy,” she said, still keeping her hands raised. She took note that Erend had climbed off his broadhead and took his place beside her, his hands raised as well. “And this is my companion, Erend. We’re from the east.”

The person stepped forward, lowering their spear as they approached. They did not speak until they were only several feet in front of Aloy, their head cocked. Aloy could almost feel them running their gaze over her. Up close, she could see that they were wearing a mask and that was the reason for their faceless appearance.

“You wear a Focus,” they gestured to the device above Aloy’s right ear before also motioning at the machines. “And you are a machine tamer.”

Aloy stared at them for a few seconds before giving a curt nod. “Yes.”

“Then you are welcomed here, friend.” They reached up and removed their hood, pushing their mask up atop their head to reveal their face.

Both Erend and Aloy balked.

With their face revealed, it was clear that they were female. She had eyes that were a piercing blue, hair blonder than Erend and Aloy had ever seen. Her skin was tanned from years of being in the sun, freckles dusting the bridge of her nose.

“I am Saree,” she said, offering the two a smile. Aloy took note that she had a Focus over her left ear. She placed a hand atop her chest in greeting and gave a small bow of her head. “It is a pleasure to meet a fellow machine tamer. Though, I have never seen machines such as yours.”

“Really?” Erend asked in appall. Striders and broadheads were the most common machines, besides watchers. The idea that these people had never seen them before was a bewilderment.

Aloy brushed that off. “We have a friend in danger. Can you help us? She passed out because of the heat. My Focus saw that you were here and we hoped you might be able to help.”

Saree frowned, though she seemed skeptical. “Yes, we may be able to help. Where is this friend of yours?”

“We left her with another companion of ours,” Erend said, speaking before Aloy had a chance to. “We weren’t sure what we would find here.”

Saree waved over two people, who kept their masks and hoods on. “Illen, tell father we have visitors. Blut, bring two Humpbacks and water.”

Erend and Aloy glanced at each other at the name of what they could only assume was a type of machine. They had lowered their hands, though it was difficult to relax within the presence of these strangers, especially when Elida was still in danger.

Saree looked back to them as her men ran off to heed her orders. She stepped forward and clapped a hand onto Aloy’s shoulder. “All will be well. We will gather your friends and bring them back here, where you will be safe for the night.”

Aloy tried to not jerk her shoulder away from Saree’s grip, giving a quick nod. She wished to stop the chitter chatter and get back to Elida and Aneta. She would not relax until Elida was safe and no longer unconscious. However, she needed to be polite if she wanted to keep the help that was being given to them. So she forced out a quiet, “thank you.”

“Tell me, what do you call these beasts of yours?” Saree stepped forward to examine their machines, her fingers going up to flick on her Focus to scan them.

“This one is a Strider and the other is a Broadhead.” Erend reached out and placed a hand against the side of Fanas’ neck, touching it affectionately.

Aloy glanced at him, just now noticing how tired he looked. She had been so focused on everything else that she hadn’t noticed how her companions were fairing. It just reminded her how responsible she was for them.

Saree hummed, a smile tugging at her lips as she flicked off her Focus again. “The east has odd machines. You will not find anything like this here.” She raised a gloved hand and ran her fingers over a cord on Fanas’ throat. “Blue… what an interesting color for an overridden machine.”

“I’m assuming you override machines as well.” Aloy watched Saree skeptically. Since her defeat of Hades, the need to override machines was not necessary, but the woman had called her a machine tamer. She knew from experience that anyone with a Focus and a corruptor’s core could override a machine.

“Yes,” said Saree. “For quite some time. Look now and you shall see our own mounts.”

Aloy turned to look where the woman had gestured and saw two machines being guided around a tent, though they certainly were ones she had never seen before. They had long and skinny necks that ended in a rounded head, cords draping from it like whiskers. Their feet were similar to that of a strider’s, but the legs bent like that of a sawtooth. It’s back bunched up behind their necks but curved downward towards the center, forming a perfect area for sitting. They were about the size of a charger, yet thick like a ravager.

Erend gave a low, impressed, whistle. “Well, those are certainly new. They kind of look like tallnecks.”

Aloy disagreed, but she didn’t say so. “They’re great. Now can we go get our friends?”

Saree summoned the humpbacks closer, along with the man who was bringing them. “Thank you, Brut. Did you get water for our new friends?”

“Yes ma’am.” The man, though he had yet to see his face, handed over a canteen that he had packed into a sack atop one of the humpbacks.

Saree took it and offered it to Aloy. “Please,” she insisted. “Drink while we ride. Both of you.”

Normally, the redhead would have been hesitant towards taking drinks from strangers who offered them with alluring voices, but she was too thirsty to care. She took the canteen and greedily drank from it before passing it to Erend.

Without further ado, they climbed atop their mounts and rode off. Brut came along with the, and Aloy knew that he was only there in case Erend and her were not what they had seemed. She respected that.

 

* * *

 

When they returned to where they had left Aneta and Elida, Aloy was the first to hop off her strider, rushing over to the tent. Aneta was already standing outside it upon hearing the machines approach. She briefly touched Aloy’s shoulder before the older girl was ducking into the tent to see Elida.

Saree, having pulled her humpback to a stop beside Aloy’s strider, climbed from her mount and pulled a new canteen from the sack at its side. She waltzed over to the tent, seeming far more casual than she should have been. She brushed past Aneta, who looked at her in utter confusion, and stepped into the tent.

Aloy was knelt down in front of Elida, pulling the girl into a slight sitting position, holding her up. “Elida, we brought you water.”

Saree crouch down beside them, offering the canteen. “The sun has not been kind on this child.”

Aloy wasn’t going to correct her on the fact that Elida was not a child. She was far too busy twisting off the top of the canteen before attempting to get Elida to drink.

Elida groaned, though seemed to have awoken enough to accept the water. Aloy had to coax her into drinking it, cooing gentle reassurances and encouragement. Elida could only drink for a few seconds before turning her head away, coughing.

“Let us bring her back to the camp,” Saree said, reaching up to touch Aloy’s shoulder. “She will do better once she is in a cooler atmosphere.”

Aloy gave a dull nod, attempting to scoop the younger girl into her arms. She realized, quite quickly, that she could not carry Elida, not matter how much she dared to try. Saree had already left the tent and Erend popped in only seconds after.

“Here, let me take her.” He held out his arms in offering, yet didn’t move to take her. His eyes flickered up to meet Aloy’s and she realized he was asking for permission.

“Of c-course,” Aloy’s grip on Elida loosened.

Erend pulled the blonde into his arms with little effort, ducking once more out of the tent. Aloy hesitated, feeling a knot within the pit of her belly. Erend was treating Elida with such care, something she had never seen him do – outside of how he treated _her_.

She followed him out, nearly bumping into Aneta. The younger girl was staring at her with wide eyes, as if silently asking who Saree and Brut were. Aloy placed both of her hands on Aneta’s shoulders, though perhaps it was to stabilize herself.

“You need water,” she monotoned. “These people are going to take us back to their camp. Go with them. I’m going to take down the tent.”

“We can’t just leave you here,” Aneta objected, her eyes only growing wider.

Aloy forced a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. The biggest concern is getting Elida to safety. Okay? Go with them.” This time it was more of an order.

Swallowing hard, Aneta nodded and Aloy released her. The two women stared at each other for a brief moment before Aneta was turning to join the others. She quietly informed Erend of Aloy’s decision to linger behind.

Aloy didn’t bother listening to Erend’s response. She simply began to take apart the tent. It was only a few seconds later that the rest had begun riding off. She found relief in their departure, chancing a moment’s glimpse up in their direction.

Elida would be safe, she told herself. _So why is my heart aching? Why are my hands shaking?_

She collapsed the tent, taking her time in the task. She convinced herself that the feelings coursing through her were simply exhaustion and dehydration. She would be fine. Elida would be fine. _Everyone_ would be fine.

Despite this, she began to feel her breath pick up, coming in quicker than she wanted. She had to sit down, pulling her knees up to her chest as she tried to calm her rapid breathing. For a moment, she felt as if she were dying, the panic becoming overwhelming as everything came crashing down on her.

Elida could have died. Could be very well dying _right now._ All because she let her come along. She should have told her to stay back – forced her to. Elida wasn’t a traveler and she certainly was no adventure! She was too fragile. This whole situation proved that.

 _But there’s no turning back now_ , her thoughts screamed. _You brought her out here and she could die at any moment. They could **all** die on you and it will be **your** fault._

Swallowing in big gulps of hot air, Aloy felt tears burn at her eyes. But damn it, she would not cry. Crying was weak and pitiful. She would not shed tears over her own panic. She would stick to her mission and stay strong. That was what she always did and that was what she was going to do now.

The sun felt heavier than it had in days, bearing down at her despite the lateness of the day. It would set in a couple of hours or so, leaving the desert in a state of silent chill. Though, not tonight. No. Tonight would not be silent. She would be surrounded with people.

Strange people with strange masks and clothes, but people nonetheless. It was almost… exciting. Yet nerve wracking. Could she trust these people?

She must have, because she let Erend, Aneta, and Elida go with them. Erend and Aneta could take care of themselves, though. She had never seen Aneta fight, but she knew Erend could handle both a bow and his hammer. He was a skilled captain and fighter, after all.

Pulling in a steadier breath, she squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to calm down. How long had she been sitting here? It felt like hours. It was probably only minutes, though. She wasn’t sure.

She forced herself to get up and finish taking apart the tent.

 

* * *

 

When she arrived at the camp, the sun was low in the horizon. She had ridden her strider at a causal pace, having needed the time to think and to possible prepare herself for whatever condition Elida would be in when she arrived. However, this was probably a source of worry from her companions.

Erend was waiting for her when she rode into the camp. He began towards her as she climbed off Fanas, somewhat shaky when she slid onto her feet. Saree had also approached her, beating Erend.

“Aloy,” she said, her voice ever calm. “You’ve finally returned.”

“Yes, I…” she trailed off as Erend came to her side, his hand going to her shoulder before he yanked her into a hug. His arms wrapped tightly around her and she was frozen with surprise at the sudden and very public display of affection.

Saree gave a gentle laugh. “I will leave you two be. Erend, please show Aloy to the tent when you are ready.”

Erend gave a nod, keeping Aloy within his arms. “Thank you, Saree.”

Tipping her head in farewell, Saree turned and left them. They were standing out in the open, where everyone could see them, but they hardly seemed to care. The white forms around them didn’t feel like people, despite the fact that they very much were. Regardless, the forms went about their business, seemingly preparing for the evening.

A bonfire had been lit in the center of the camp and Aloy could just barely see it past Erend’s bicep, her cheek pressed to his chest. He was warm and sweaty, just as she was, but she couldn’t make herself care.

She closed her eyes, finally returning his hug. Her hands rest between his shoulder blades, twisting in the cotton fabric of his shirt. “Is she alright?” She hated how her voice cracked.

Erend kissed the top of her head. “She’s fine. She’s resting, but she’s got plenty of water in her now. Their medicine man said not to worry and that she’d be back to normal by tomorrow morning.”

Aloy swallowed hard, her throat tight. She didn’t speak, only held him tighter. He squeezed her in his arms, hoping to satisfy her search for more comfort. Her hair smelled like the sun and something flora that he couldn’t name. Her natural scent, he knew.

“You’ve got to be tired,” he murmured. “You should rest.”

She pulled away enough to look up at him. “Not yet.”

Erend frowned, his gaze flickering across her features. She looked drained – _sounded_ drained – with dark circles under her eyes. Her cheeks were sunburnt, making her freckles stand out. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, but loose strands were clinging to her face from her sweat. Her hazel eyes seemed duller than usually and he hated that.

He parted his lips to speak, yet was cut off when she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her chapped lips to his. It was a needy sort of kiss, seeking a comfort that she hadn’t had for quite some time.

Eyes fluttering shut, Erend returned the kiss by pressing his lips back against hers. Her squeezed her into an embrace once more and found that he adored the feeling of her within his arms. She felt so small, despite her undeniable power.

Cupping his cheek in one hand, Aloy placed two lingering kisses on his lips before letting her forehead bump against his. “I need to see Elida,” she whispered. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”

Erend felt his heart break ever so slightly. It sent a surge of guilt through him, but he didn’t want her to leave. _Stay with **me,**_ he wanted to say. _Don’t go to her just yet. I need you too._

She was already leaving his arms, flashing him an apologetic smile. “Show me to the tent?”

Giving a dull nod, he turned his gaze away from her, reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. “Yeah, of course. C’mon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read over this to check for mistakes, but I'm tired and probably missed a bunch. Sorry about that if I did!  
> But heyyyy... Erend and Aloy kissed, so there's that! And a new tribe! Woo!


	25. Chapter 25

The tent was cooler than Aloy would have thought. It was noticeable as soon as she stepped past the door, the heat of the day having been swept from her with a type of relief that she had found almost foreign. Still, she didn’t sigh a breath of relief until she saw Elida laying on a cot across from the doorway, though her cheeks heated when she made note that the younger girl had been stripped of most of her clothes.

It would help with the heat, she reminded herself.

Stepping forward, she completely forgot about Erend being there, instead putting all of her focus onto Elida. She approached the cot and knelt down beside it, shaky hands going to rest over one of the younger girl’s.

She was still sleep, much to Aloy’s disappointment. She had wanted to talk to her, to ask her how she was doing. Still, she spoke regardless of young woman’s consciousness. “I’m so glad you’re alright,” she breathed. “You had all of us so scared. You’re not allowed to give up now; we just started.”

Forcing a smile, she reached up and smoothed some of Elida’s hair from her face. She watched the blonde’s eyes flicker under her eyelids and she wondered if she was dreaming. If she was, she hoped she was having beautiful dreams of safe gardens and other sweet things.

“She’s going to be alright,” Aneta said, causing Aloy to jump. She hadn’t seen the brunette there, sitting on a chest beside the cot. “The medic said that she’s got a strong will.”

Aloy finally looked at Aneta, taking in the young girl. She looked just as drained as the rest of them felt, her eyes drooping and her face flushed from the sun. They could all use some heavy sleep.

“I’ll take his word on that,” Aloy said, though her voice was hardly a breath.

Erend stepped forward, reminding the two women that he was there. He had his arms crossed over his chest, though it looked more like a protective gesture than a confident one. “Saree said we should join them for dinner around the bonfire when we’re ready.”

Aloy gave a dull nod. She would much rather go to bed, but knew that she need the strength from food if she wanted to be productive tomorrow. They couldn’t stay with these people forever and they would all need to rest up while they were here.

She squeezed Elida’s hand. “You two go on. I’m going to stay with Elida for a little longer.”

Both of them hesitated, looking at each other for a brief moment, but ultimately they both decided that dinner sounded much better than staying in a tent and not doing anything in particular. They left together, leaving Aloy and Elida alone, much to the redhead’s relief.

She just needed a moment alone with the girl.

The cot was made for two people and Aloy was not hesitant in climbing onto it and resting her body next to the younger woman’s. She laid on her side, watching Elida’s eyes flutter under her lips, wondering what she was dreaming about.

Reaching up, she trailed her fingers along her jaw, noting how soft she was even after the harshness of the sun. Her skin was hot, but not as warm as it had been earlier.

Curiously, she leaned forward, brushing her lips against the blonde’s cheek, her eyes fluttering shut. She let her lips linger against her skin, finding that the gesture felt far more natural than she thought it would have. Elida’s skin was so much softer than kissing Erend’s, where his beard would tickle her face. Did she like kissing Elida more than she liked kissing Erend? She wasn’t sure. It felt the same.

She pulled away, laying her head down on the pillow next to Elida’s, her hazel gaze flickering over the younger woman’s features. Yes, she was sure now; she liked Elida as much as she liked Erend.

She thought this admittance to herself would make her more frustrated than she already was about the whole relationship thing, but it only seemed to bring her a sort of calm that settled the racing of her heart. Odd, yet she would still gladly accept it.

Aloy wasn’t sure how long she laid there with Elida before her stomach got the better of her and she finally crawled out of the bed to search for food. She promised herself that she would bring Elida something once she woke up – which she hoped was soon.

The sky had grown dark during Aloy’s stay within the tent, and now she stepped out into a cool night with the stars shining brightly. The disappearance of the sun was welcomed by her sunburnt body.

There were still people milling around the camp, but they had shed their odd white masks, allowing the redhead to finally see human faces. It was a relief within itself, causing her to become more comfortable amongst them – as comfortable as she could get within a crowd.

Most of the commotion of the camp was settled around the bonfire at the center, where most were gathered to eat. She must not have been with Elida for too long, because there were still plenty of people eating.

She found Erend and Aneta sitting on a log by themselves, but she was caught by Saree before she could join them. The platinum blonde woman was no longer wearing her hood, instead dressed in a simple tanktop and her pants.

Aloy was surprised to find her covered in scars. They were like nothing she had ever seen, as if they had been deliberately put onto her skin in patterns and designs.

“Aloy,” said the woman. “We’re so glad that you have decided to join us. I was worried you would not eat. Please, I would like to introduce you to my father – the chief of our tribe.”

Shifting uncomfortably, Aloy glanced over at Erend and Aneta, wishing the two would save her from this. She _really_ did not want to meet any leader types. Those were always awkward instances, given that it made her feel as if she were considered more important than others.

Saree, however, seemed to notice her hesitance. “Erend and Aneta have already met with him and he wishes to meet with you.”

Wish a sigh, Aloy’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. Okay.”

Offering the redhead a smile, Saree guided her around the fire and towards an extravagant tent that Aloy had noticed earlier but had not put much thought to. It was larger than the others, with two guards at the door. Aloy wondered if they would have been there had her group not arrived.

Saree stepped forward and pushed open the heavy canvas curtain that served as a door, holding it aside for Aloy to step in. Aloy did not hesitate in stepping inside, her gaze flickering about the large tent. It was filled with brightly woven rugs and filled with all sorts of treasures. She was not sure how they traveled with so many things, though perhaps they were trading later.

She found things within her gaze that she had never seen before; odd small structures and objects in all sorts of colors, most faded from years of being buried within the sand – at least from what she figured. That’s why they were out here, right? To unbury ancient artifacts.

Movement caught her attention and her gaze flickered over to a man that sat atop a throne-like structure made of crudely bent metals and woods, most of it made of the white wood that littered the desert.

He was a rather feminine man, much to Aloy’s surprise, with blonde hair that he had in multiple braids. His hair was not as blonde as Saree’s, but still blonder than what Aloy was used to seeing. His skin was a deep tan with those decorative scars covering it – though his also lined his face, sinking into the wrinkles there. He was clean shaven, something that was another oddity in Aloy’s mind. His eyes were as blue as his daughter’s, though they appeared to pierce into the redhead’s very being, despite the smile that curled at his lips.

He sat up straighter. “You must be Alloy, one of the travelers who has arrived at our camp.”

She stepped forward until she was standing about five feet away from him. “It’s _Aloy_ ,” she corrected. She had never heard anyone mispronounce her name before, which made her frown.

“Ah, forgive me.” The man chuckled. “Your name is very close to a type of metal, my dear.”

_Don’t call me dear,_ she wanted to snap. “Well that’s new.”

He laughed again. “My name is Kalid and I am the chief of the Midelscar. You’ve already met my daughter, Saree, of course. She is the second in command here.”

Aloy glanced at the blonde woman to see her flash a kind smile. She turned her gaze to the chief. “Thank you for allowing my friends and I to see here for the night. I’m not sure we would have made it through another night out in the desert.”

Kalid bowed his head in understanding. “Of course, Aloy. Come, sit beside me and tell me of your journey. Saree tells me that you come from the East.”

Aloy hesitated then, noticing the chair that sat beside the chief’s. She would have preferred to join her friends, but declining the chief’s request would most likely be very rude. So she stepped forward and stiffly sat within the chair.

Kalid turned his gaze to Saree, who was still standing by the door. “Please gather something for Aloy to eat. She must be famished.”

Aloy could not argue with that as she watched the blonde woman duck out of the tent. She turned her attention back to the chief. “I’ve never seen anything like your tribe before. You wear very odd clothes.”

He laughed at this. “I suppose to outsiders, it would seem that way. Light colors reflect the sun, rather than letting it cook into your skin. We spend all of our time searching for ruins and artifacts to sell to other tribes.”

“Is that how you found your Focuses?” She nodded towards the device over the chief’s right ear. It seemed as if every person here had a Focus, from what she had seen. It most likely helped them find the artifacts they were looking for.

“We have always had our Focuses, but we continue to find more to sell. It is quite a market, as you probably know.” He gestured to her own Focus.

She frowned. “They are not very common in the East. Most still fear the Old Ones.”

“Ah, I see. How disappointing.” He cocked his head, examining her. “Then machine overriding is not common from where you are from.”

“Has it been common here for a while?” Aloy asked in return, as if in challenge.

His lips tugged up into a smile. “For as long as I’ve been alive.”

This sparked something within in her, something she was not entirely familiar with. She would be lying if she said she did not take pride in the fact that she could override machines – but she was not a fool to think she was the only one in the world to have been able to do it. Or at least, she had assumed. She had almost _hoped_ that she had been the one to figure it out. To discover that the Forbidden West had been doing it for so many years sparked an almost foreign anger within her, the type that bubbled at the surface yet would never spill over.

“Interesting,” she said, sounding unapologetically dismissive. “I’m curious as to why your tribe is so helpful. Do you not get many bandit around here?”

“Not particularly, no. Most thieves don’t travel through the desert to rob one tribe.” He leaned back in his chair, examining her. “Should we be more hesitant with your group?”

She met his gaze. “No. We’re just traveling through.”

“Tell me, what is a group of Eastern people doing traveling through our lands?” He continued to examine her and she felt that her flesh might burn off from the prolonged stare.

She shifted uncomfortable in her chair, her gaze flickering towards the door as Saree returned with a plate of foot. “We’re on a mission. Have you heard of GAIA?”

He seemed far more intrigued now. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”

As Saree handed her the plate of food, Aloy began to explain GAIA and recalled the previous events with Hades. She was taken aback by the chief’s willingness to listen, as if this information was the most interesting he had heard in quite some time. She felt that she was rushing through the explanation, but she yearned to finish this conversation and go to bed or to perhaps speak with her teammates.

The chief, however, had many questions to ask her about the events that had transpired within Meridian. He kept her attention for longer than she would have liked, letting perhaps hours pass as they spoke. He was very intrigued with GAIA’s functions.

She explained what she knew and even told him how she was related to Elisabet. He showed true interest in this, demanding to know how she came to be within a machine. She felt as if she were spinning him a fairytale while he listened with that of a child’s enthusiasm. She didn’t like it, because this was her _life_ , not some story to be shared around at dinner.

Still, she continued to speak, finding that once the words began to come forth, she could not stop. She sat there for hours, until her back ached from the stiffness of the wooden chair and her belly was full of meat and bread. She sat there until talking became a chore and she would much rather go to bed.

Only when she had nothing left to give, did he finally say something she had not expected. “This bunker you seek,” he began. “Is not far from here. It has been untouched by our people, as we cannot access it. I’m sure you may find a way inside.”

“Thank you,” she said, though she should have known they were coming up on the first bunker. “We will tomorrow.”

“Of course. I will make sure my people give you the food and water you will need.” He gestured to Saree, who had been sitting quietly beside him. “My daughter will make sure of it.”

Saree’s gentle eyes met Aloy’s. “Anything you need, we may be able to provide.”

“Thank you,” Aloy repeated, standing from the chair. Her legs felt just as stiff as the wood. “Your help is very appreciated.”

“Of course,” Kalid said, smiling pleasantly. “Sleep well, Aloy of the East.”

Bowing her head in farewell, Aloy felt relief seep into her bones. Finally, she would be able to rest. The day had been long, with the previous night sleepless, that she was beginning to feel almost weightless from her lack of rest. She knew she would be out of it as soon as she laid down.

Exiting the tent, she could not walk fast enough to her own. Briefly she wondered if Elida would be up, but she almost hoped she wasn’t so that she, herself, would not need to stay up any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the lateness of this. I've sorta lost momentum again, so this story might be coming to an end soon. Or a hiatus. I'm not sure. I took on a lot bigger project than I should have. :P


End file.
